Plasmashock
by Kender20
Summary: AU After a plane crash in the middle of the ocean, two teenagers find themselves in a fallen underwater utopia. With its deadly secrets, it's going to take extraordinary powers and teamwork to survive. Based on the videogame, Bioshock; Rated M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Well, I'm still having a bit of some difficulty going over the hurdle that is Writer's Block when it comes to 'Blue Eyes White Mermaid', and it just drives me nuts! I'll find a way to get over it, so bear with me! On the bright side, with the help of my big brother, I actually got started on my newest fanfiction to help squeeze out some creative juices! This Yu-Gi-Oh AU story is based on the video game Bioshock, with some major differences to enhance the storyline. For instance, it takes place in modern times, specifically the early summer of 2008, and it will have an RPG feel. In any case, here's the first chapter of my new fanfiction!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, nor do I own the storyline of Bioshock. And I'm glad I don't!

**Plasmashock**

**Prologue**

_2002, Mid-Pacific_

Sunlight shone down into the seemingly empty ocean, illuminating it with beautiful beams under the surface of the water. It was a very calm and peaceful scene… or at least, it would have been calm and peaceful.

But something was out of place.

A large metallic sphere could be seen rising up from the dark depths—and it was heading toward the surface. Bubbles surrounded the sphere as it traveled, before finally, it broke the surface in front of its intended destination: a lighthouse in the shape of a beautiful red and gold pagoda.

Strangely enough, there was no other land surrounding it.

**Chapter 1: The Fateful Flight**

_Seven years later…_

"The Flight to Los Angeles, California in the United States of America will be departing soon." announced a voice on the intercom in the Tokyo Airport.

"Well, I guess it's time." A young man said to himself, gripping his backpack on one side and rising from his seat. He had a slim, graceful build, but well muscled arms and legs revealed that he is not as frail as he looks. His spiky hair was shaped somewhat like a star, mostly black and lined with crimson, and his golden bangs were shaped like lightning surrounding his handsome face. Some of those strands of hair from his bangs stood on end, in fact, and lined perfectly with the rest of his hair. He wore a sleeveless black leather shirt and blue jeans, black studded leather boots, and a blue jacket hung from his shoulders like some sort of cape. Around his neck was a studded black collar, and the wristbands were likewise studded as well, and two belts were around his waist, one holding his jeans in place, and the other hanging loosely around his hips, almost diagonally. Also around his neck was a large golden pendant hung on a thick chain, shaped like an upside-down pyramid. But the most striking feature were the young man's eyes, for the irises were a brilliant shade of crimson.

As he was about to step toward the terminal that led to the plane, he suddenly heard a voice calling out to him. "Atem! Yo, Atem wait up!"

The young man, Atem, quickly turned around to see another young man running toward him. This one was tall, with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes, and he wore a white T-shirt with a thick azure stripe circling around his stomach. He too had a pair of jeans, but on his feet was a pair of well-worn sneakers. "Jonouchi!" Atem said in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were taking a plane and leaving Japan," the second young man, Jonouchi, explained, "I want to come with you!"

"Are you sure?" Atem asked, "It's going to be a very long trip, and if you come with me, we won't be coming back to Japan anytime soon."

"I don't care." Jonouchi said, "Traveling with you is much better that staying with my deadbeat drunk of a dad. And besides, I already booked the flight to Los Angeles so I can board the same plane you're taking."

Atem stared at his childhood friend in amazement, then let out a sigh as he shifted his backpack to adjust the weight. "Well then, if you're coming with me, you'd better hurry." He said as he entered the terminal, "The plane's just about ready to take off any minute."

"Okay, hold on!" Jonouchi shouted, running after his friend.

* * *

In the nighttime air, the plane heading toward the United States glided over the clouds. Atem and Jonouchi sat across from each other in second class, chatting with each other. "And to think," Atem said, "It's the night of my sixteenth birthday, and here we are, at the start of our trip around the world." At this moment, a flight attendant approached the two friends.

"Excuse me," she said, "Are you Atem by any chance?"

Atem lifted his head up in surprise and replied, "Why, yes of course." The flight attendant gave him a smile and gave him a neatly wrapped present.

"This is for you. Happy Birthday!"

"Uhh, thank you." Atem said as the attendant left. Once she was gone, he looked at the present and gasped. "Jonouchi! Look!" and then he read aloud the note that came with his present: "**To Atem, We hope that this will make you happy on your sixteenth birthday. We will always love you no matter where you go. From Akira and Kuni Kakita. P.S. Would you kindly not open this present until you reach the center of the ocean? Make sure no one is watching.**"

"Akira and Kuni Kakita… That's your mom and dad, right? Wow! You're very lucky to have parents like them!" Atem grew sad at this and Jonouchi stared at him with confusion. "Huh? Why the long face all of the sudden?"

"Jonouchi, about that…" Atem said, "That's the reason why I'm leaving Japan."

"W-what?" Jonouchi said in shock.

"I have a confession to make to you." Atem took in a deep breath a nervously said, "I… I have amnesia. I was ten years old when I got it. I know that for sure, I remember waking up at the hospital on my tenth birthday, but I don't remember what happened before that. As a matter of fact, the only thing I was able to remember on that day was my name. Even today, I have no memory of the time before I was ten." Atem reached into his pocket and took out two photographs. One of them was of a ten year old Atem having fun at the rice paddy with a man and a woman. "Of course, back then, I didn't care. I had a home, and my parents love me… or at least, I thought they were my parents." A curious Jonouchi listened with great interest as his friend continued his story. "But all that changed two days ago. I had finished with a household chore when I came across the door to the attic. It was open, and that surprised me, because that door was never open for as long as I could remember. And it was always locked. For the first time in my life, curiosity got the better of me, and so I went up to explore. At first, I was excited about the treasures that I found. But as I went deeper in my exploration, I began to notice that something wrong. There were no toys from when I was younger that ten, no preschool art, not even photo albums that show any baby pictures. Then I made the most disturbing discovery of them all: I came across an old box, and inside there were documents. As I read over each one, I realized that they were birth certificates of every member of the family. Every member, that is, except me." Atem paused, shaking his head. "At this moment, I decided to confront my parents about the matter…"

**"Mom? Dad?" Atem called out as he ran down the stairs into the kitchen where Kuni was cooking. Akira had just come back from working in the family rice paddy nearby their Japanese farm, and had stepped into the house after taking off his boots.**

**"Oh, hello Atem!" Kuni said cheerfully. "You're just in time for dinner!"**

**"I'm not in the mood for dinner at this moment!" Atem shouted, his voice showing a bit of anger, "Where are my baby pictures? Where are the preschool toys you said I had?"**

**"Well, they're up in the attic--" Akira started to explain.**

**"Don't lie to me! I was up in the attic!" Atem hollered, "None of it was there! And to top it off, I found this!" That was when he dropped the box on the table and revealed its contents to a shocked Akira and Kuni. "Birth certificates! Birth certificates of the whole family from every generation, and not one of them has my name and date of birth! Where's my birth certificate?! Why isn't it with the others?!" The couple stared at the young man in shock, then slowly turned to look at each other. Then they faced him again, this time with a look of sorrow on their faces. "Mom? Dad?" Atem said in a hushed tone.**

**"Atem," Akira finally said sadly, "There is something we've been meaning to tell you."**

"…And that was when I learned the truth. My parents… they weren't really my parents at all." By then, Atem was ready to break down into tears.

"You mean, you were… adopted?!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Yes. And in all honesty, I was shocked by the discovery. Later that night, my foster parents told me that my real family is still alive. They never told me who or where they are, but they did tell that they are waiting for me, somewhere in this world. That's when it came to me. This revelation, and the amnesia I have… they're actually tied together! Perhaps my real family might be the key to restoring my lost memory!" Atem then revealed the other photo of himself and his foster parents, this one taken three days ago by a digital camera. "So yesterday, I made the decision to travel the world in search of my real family, and therefore, my past. It was a bittersweet moment for me and for my foster parents. Just before I left for the airport, they told me, 'Atem, we don't care where you come from. That will not stop us from loving you. Because you, are special. You are born to do great things.' And now here I am, ready to begin my quest."

"Wow, that's one incredible story!" Jonouchi said when Atem finished his story. Then he leaned forward, and said, "You know, I'm glad I decided to go after you and tag along in this journey. Even if we don't find your real family, I'm sure we'll have many exciting adventures together."

This made Atem smile and then turned to a businessman behind him. "Excuse me Sir, do you know where we are at this moment?"

"Well," the businessman said, "According to my portable GPS machine, we're at 180 Longitude and 36 Latitude."

Atem gasped, and then stood up with his present. "Atem, where are you going?" Jonouchi asked.

"We've reached the center of the Pacific Ocean, so it's time for me to open my present." Atem replied, "The note specifically told me to open it in a place where no one else can see."

"Oh yeah!" Jonouchi exclaimed, "I was wondering about those instructions. You think it's meant to be a surprise for all of us?"

"Maybe." Atem said, "In any case, I'm going to the bathroom to open my gift. I'll be right back, okay?" And with that, he left to the bathroom at the front of the plane. Like Atem, Jonouchi was curious about the contents of the package. But, being the loyal friend he is, he stayed put. Nearly a full minute has passed, however, and he was losing his patience. Suddenly, there were two gunshots at the cockpit.

"Oh my God! Did you hear that?!"

"Someone's been shot in the cockpit!"

"The security camera's been shut down!"

"We can't get in the cockpit! The doors are shut tight!"

"What's happening?!"

As the passengers began to panic, the plane suddenly began to tilt downward. And there was no sign of stopping.

"What's going on?!" Jonouchi screamed, and he soon grew worried about Atem. He tried to get out of his seat, but several flight attendants were blocking his path, trying in vain to calm down the other passengers. He was stuck, with nowhere else to go. And the plane continued to go downward. Before Jonouchi even realized it, he was surrounded by fire and water.

Note: In the next chapter, who survives the crash? Plus, a strange building is dicovered. What secrets does it hold? Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Hi there! I guess this fic needs another chapter to get some reviews going. Now things are about to get on a roll. You'll be noticing some more differences in this chapter, which I will point out at the end. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 2: The Pagoda Lighthouse**

_Where am I?_ Atem thought to himself as he regained consciousness. _What happened? I…I can't breathe!_ Slowly he opened his eyes… and those eyes widened in a horrified sort of shock as he saw bubbles swirling around him. _Oh Ra! I'm underwater?! H-how did I get down here?!_ Terror began to fill his heart. There was water all around him, and he did not know which was up or which way was down. But soon he saw something floating. It looked like a laptop computer, but where is it going? The answer came minutes later, as another object came into view: a suitcase, opened wide with all of its contents spilling out. Atem finally looked up, and saw the watery barrier that led to the surface. He also saw fire, and the remains of the plane he and Jonouchi were on. _Jonouchi!!_ Atem thought and he immediately began to swim up to the surface. He narrowly managed to dodge a whirling set of small propellers, and paused for a moment to watch some massive debris fall into the water and sink under. He was starting to choke, and he swam as fast as he could in order to avoid drowning. Finally, he broke the surface of the water and took in a breath of fresh air. The fires and the pieces of the now destroyed plane were all around him. "Jonouchi!" Atem shouted, doing his very best to keep his head above the water, "Jonouchi! Where are you?!" By then, his eyes were on the verge of being misted with tears. _This can't be happening! Jonouchi, you can't possibly be dead!_ Atem soon found himself shivering, and if that wasn't bad enough, he was also growing tired. He needs to find some solid ground, and fast! Peering past the inferno, he managed to see an opening, and a piece of large debris floating close by. Gathering up as much strength as he could muster, he swam toward the debris, intending to use it as a kind of raft if it is strong enough. "C'mon Atem, just a bit further…" Atem said to himself as he got closer to his goal. Suddenly a blaze of fire traveled toward the debris, and to Atem's utter dismay, it exploded into a raging bonfire. His heart began to sink into the sea of despair.

"Atem!" a familiar voice suddenly called out, grabbing the crimson-eyed youth's attention.

"Jonouchi?!" Atem shouted in surprise, "Is that you?!"

"Atem, Over here!" the voice called again, and Atem turned toward the source of that voice.

What he saw almost took his breath away.

Close by there was a tall pagoda. Even in the darkness, he could see that it had golden walls and red roofs. At the very tip of the pagoda was a beam of shining light, and the light spun around in a circle.

Atem quickly realized that this was no pagoda. It was a lighthouse. But who would build a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean? Before he could think long enough to answer that question…

"Atem!"

Looking back down at the foot of the lighthouse, Atem's eyes widened as he saw familiar figure waving his arms wildly. It was no hallucination.

"Jonouchi!" Atem shouted, swimming as fast as he could. "Jonouchi, you're alive!" A rush of adrenaline seemed to flow through him, giving him enough strength to reach the stairs at the foot of the lighthouse. Immediately he climbed out of the cold water of the ocean, and collapsed into the arms of his best friend with a hug in return.

"Atem! Oh thank God, Atem! I thought I lost you!" Jonouchi cried gratefully. The two friends continued their embrace, obviously cold and wet from being in the ocean, but safe nevertheless. Eventually, they broke the embrace and slowly sat down on the stairs to rest. At first, not much was said between them.

"How did this happen?" Atem finally said, breaking the silence.

"You mean you don't know?" Jonouchi said in surprise.

"No." Atem replied, "I remember that I was in the bathroom getting ready to open my present. Next thing I know, I was deep under the water. I think I might have blacked out."

Jonouchi scooted toward his friend and said to him, "I guess I'll have to fill you in on what happened. Someone went to the cockpit and killed the pilots, then they hijacked the plane and sent it crashing into the ocean."

Atem had a distraught look on his eyes when he heard the news. "Do you know who did this?"

"The security cameras were shut down, and the door to the cockpit was locked tight, so no, I don't know." Said Jonouchi, "But I don't think that would matter. For all I know, it's possible that the hijacker got killed in the process."

"Is anyone else alive?" Asked Atem.

Jonouchi shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I think we're the only survivors."

Atem stared out at the burning wreckage in dismay before he bowed his head low. "I can't believe this! I just can't believe this!"

"Neither can I." Jonouchi said. After a few seconds of silence, Jonouchi finally stood up. "Look, I don't think it would do us any good to just sit around and mope. We need to find a way out of this place."

"Your right." Atem said. He also stood up, and his eyes shifted to the lighthouse. "Perhaps we could use this lighthouse to summon a boat or a plane to pick us up. If there's anyone living there, we could even ask for their assistance."

"I don't see what's wrong with that." Jonouchi said, and he followed Atem up the stairs. "I have to admit though, it is pretty strange that someone would build a lighthouse right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean."

"Well, we can't think about that right now." Atem replied. Once at the very top of the small flight of stairs, they found a highly decorated set of doors at the side of the pagoda-shaped lighthouse. "It seems to be open," Atem noted, and he peeked inside, knocking. "Hello? Is anyone here?" His words gave an echo to the interior, but there was no reply.

"Maybe no one's home." Jonouchi said.

"We don't know that for sure." Atem said, "Let's go inside. Even if there is nobody here, there might be something we can use to summon a rescue team." The crimson-eyed youth came in, with Jonouchi close behind him. It was dark from the inside of the building, and there was no sound save the echoes of the teens' footsteps. Suddenly, as if of their own accord, the doors swung shut from behind them with a loud slam.

"W-Wha?!" Jonouchi shouted as he and Atem looked back to see the now closed doors behind them before the darkness obscured their vision. The blonde ran up to try to open them again, but they refused to budge. "No way! We're trapped!" At that moment, the room was suddenly filled with light, and instrumental saxophone music began to play in the background.

"Huh?" Atem said as he and his friend immediately surveyed the scene around them. In contrast to the exterior of the lighthouse, the interior was a bit more modern. Above, there was a bronze bust of a distinguished middle-aged man in a business suit. The man was sporting a neatly trimmed mustache, heavy eyebrows, and full head of short, combed-down hair that was spiky from where it curved on the back of his neck, and from what Atem could see, he was obviously of East Asian decent. Below the bust was a red banner, and on it were the words,

'No Gods or Kings, No Goddesses or Queens, Only Men and Women.'

"What does that mean?" Jonouchi asked after he read it.

"I don't know." Atem replied, before more lights got turned on, revealing a set of stairways going downward. "But what I do know is this: Someone's in that lighthouse after all. Let's go see if he's down there."

As they came down the stairs and more lights turned on to lead the way, Jonouchi said, "Uh, Atem, I don't know what you're thinking, but this place is starting to give me the creeps!"

"Well, we can't turn back now." Atem simply replied. Finally, they reached the lower level of the strange lighthouse. On the wall surrounding them were plaques made of bronze, each one describing certain achievements like art and science. "What is this?" Atem asked aloud, pointing to the center. He had a very good reason to ask, for in the very center of the whole room, floating in a pool of water, was a strange metal sphere, with its door wide open as if beckoning the teens inside. Atem read the small plaque attached to the exterior. "Bathysphere?" he said in confusion.

"Well, whoever Mr. Lighthouse Man happens to be, he sure is a fan of science and technology." Jonouchi said. Atem stepped a little closer and gasped.

"Look Jonouchi! There seems to be a lever inside!"

"Really?" Jonouchi said in sudden excitement, "Maybe this is one of the lighthouse controls! Aw Yeah! We'll be saved in no time!"

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's get inside!" Atem said excitedly. And with that, he and Jonouchi stepped inside.

"So what does this thing do?" Jonouchi said, pointing to the lever.

"Let's find out." Atem replied, and he pulled the lever. Suddenly, the door to the bathysphere slammed shut, and before the shocked teens could say anything, the sphere started sinking down into the pool. The pool, it turned out, was an underwater tunnel.

"Atem! What's going on?!" Jonouchi said in panic, "We're sinking!"

Atem gasped once more and pointed toward the window. "Jonouchi! Do you see that?! '10 fathoms'… fathoms are the measure of depth in the ocean!"

"Oh no, not again!" Jonouchi whined. "I've already been deep underwater once before!"

"Calm down, will you?!" Atem said. They watched as a modern style sculpture passed by before the sign that said '18 Fathoms' came into view, before a set of metal walls closed down, blocking the view. Suddenly, there was light shining onto the metal walls, and the light revealed to be a kind of picture. The whole bathysphere started booming with incredible surround sound. It dawned on the teens that the picture was actually a movie, and a movie made in their time. The soundtrack even belonged to an action movie of their time too, but it seemed like some kind of commercial, and soon after the logo 'Get Evolved!' appeared on the makeshift screen, the movie shifted to a man. Atem's eyes widened as he recognized the face of that man. "It's him, the same man that's depicted on that bust!" Indeed, the distinguished middle-aged man seemed to be staring at them, and in the flesh. His skin bore a sun-kissed tan that was starting to fade, and his hair, eyebrows and mustache was a sleek black, on the verge of turning silver. Finally, he spoke in a deep mature voice.

"_**I am Ryu Mutou,**_" A close up of his eyes revealed crimson irises. "_**And I have a question for you.**_" The scene shifted to a man and a woman, the man on a construction site, and the woman in an office setting. Both were sweating from either hard work or great pressure. "_**Tell me,**_" Ryu's voice said, "_**Is a man or woman not entitled to the sweat of their brow?**_" There was a rumbling noise and the two workers looked up in sheer horror. "_**'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the soldiers!'**_" A gigantic bald eagle lets out a screech and snatches the man from the site, and the scene shifted to the woman. A hand suddenly reached out and plucked the woman by the thumb and pointing finger as Ryu's voice said, "_**'No!' says the shrines of Kyoto, 'It belongs to the Emperor!'**_" The shadow from which the hand rose from was revealed to be a statue of the Japanese Emperor, posing like a Buddhist god seated in its lotus position as the woman dangled like a fish between its fingers. It then drops the woman, and the eagle likewise drops the man. Soon a loud roar echoed, and the man and woman clutched each other for protection, for a great Chinese dragon was looming in front of them. "_**'No!' says the man in Beijing. 'It belongs to everyone!'**_" The dragon breathes fire, engulfing the whole screen. Soon the flames dispersed, and the man, Ryu Mutou, reappeared on the screen. "_**I **__**rejected**__** all of those answers.**_" Ryu said, "_**Instead I chose something different. I chose the **__**impossible**__**!**_" The screen disappeared, but the sound kept playing, and slowly the metal walls parted to reveal the window yet again. As the window was once again exposed, Ryu's voice said with a sense of drama, "_**I chose… **__**Kyoki**__**!**_" Atem and Jonouchi gasped in awe as they bore witness to an incredible sight: a large city reminiscent of modern Tokyo, with tall buildings and gigantic TV screens. But the voice of Ryu was not finished. "_**A city where the artists and performers would not fear the censor, where the scientist and biologist are not bound by morality, where the great is not constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Kyoki can become your city as well.**_" Then the booming sound went silent, signaling that it was over. Atem and Jonouchi continued to stare at the city before them, getting a closer view even as aquatic wildlife passed by undisturbed.

"No way! A city under the sea?!" Jonouchi gasped, "Too cool! This is like, discovering Atlantis or something!"

"Quiet! I hear something!" Atem said, and silence pervaded the bathysphere as they passed through the buildings. Soon, there were voices breaking the silence, and it was clear that they were not part of a movie. At first, they were muffled, so neither teen could understand a single word. But soon, the voices cleared up, revealing to be two men.

"…It's just like hellfire up there!" one voice said, bearing a slight Chinese accent, "From what I could tell, it's some kind of plane crash!"

"We're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, how could there--" said the other voice, which belonged to an African American man.

"I don't know." Interrupted the man with the Chinese accent, "In any case, you better get over to the gateway, the splicers are coming!"

"Say what?! You gotta be kiddin' me! How'd you even know they're coming?!"

"The bathysphere's on its way here! That means we've got company!"

"Huh? What the heck are those guys talking about?" Jonouchi said.

"I don't know," Atem replied as the bathysphere moved toward a tunnel with a series of four connective signs written in Kanji: 'All Good Things Flow into the City'. "But I think we're about to find out. And I have a strange feeling that it's **not** going to be pretty."

Note: Well, the plot is thickening, isn't it? 'Kyoki' is Japanese for 'Rapture'. And in the original game, what's the name of that city? You guessed it, Rapture! In this story, however, instead of Andrew Ryan, I replaced that character with a man called Ryu Mutou. The reason will be revealed much later in the story as a plot twist. Oh, and if you're confused about the emperor part, the Japanese emperor is highly significant in Shinto, being the decendant of the sun goddess and all. In the next chapter, the real adventure begins, as does the real terror! Feel free to review my work, because it's bound to get better! Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Well, I've got the next chapter up! There's bound to be action in this chapter, because there's going to be martial arts. Oh, as an additional disclaimer, I do not own the American superheroes mentioned in the chapter. Enjoy the chapter!

WARNING: This fic was rated M for a reason.

**Chapter 3: Welcome to Kyoki**

After passing through the last sign, the bathysphere containing Atem and Jonouchi began to rise up in a tunnel similar to the one found at the lighthouse. The voices became louder as the sphere came closer to the surface. "Just one mo' minute!" said the voice of the African American, "The sphere! The sphere's comin' up NOW!"

"Johnny, security's crying loud around here! GET A MOVE ON!" shouted the man with the slight Chinese accent, and indeed there was panic in the tone of that voice.

Atem stared at the window of the bathysphere door, and found himself tensing up. "Aw man, Aw man! This is bad!" Jonouchi stuttered, beginning to panic himself. Finally, the bathysphere rose out of the water, just in time for the teens to see an African American man in dreadlocks, wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots. From what the teens could see, he was stepping backward toward them, obviously terrified of something.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to trespass!" The man stuttered in horror, and the teens recognized him a Johnny. Soon however, a figure came into view. It was a figure of a voluptuous African American woman, and quite pretty at first glance. However, sparks of electricity in the room briefly revealed the female's true visage. Though she wore leather rock star pants and high-heeled boots, along with a black tank top that exposed her navel, those clothes were a bit torn, and covered in filth and blood. The bloody mess was also matted in her long black hair, which was frizzy and tangled. The biceps of her left arm was unnaturally swollen, as was the calf of her right leg. Worse yet, the area around her right eye was like a huge ugly tumor on an otherwise pretty face. Even the eye itself seemed to have enlarged, making the sight even more grotesque. And if that wasn't enough, the female was holding two sickles in her hand, each one the size of her forearms. She crept toward Johnny, murder in her eyes. "J-just don't hurt me! I'll give you my weapon! Honest!"

"Who cares about your weapon, little man?" the female seethed with a somewhat feral grin. That's when she struck. Atem and Jonouchi could only watch in horror as the blades of the female's sickles dug deep into Johnny. She pulled him up against the bathysphere, and Johnny let out a bloodcurdling scream, before the female slashed outward, killing him instantly as blood spattered everywhere. By then, Jonouchi was quaking with fear.

"Mother of Ra!" Atem quietly gasped. Apparently, he wasn't quiet enough. The female started to look around amongst the sparks and rubble.

"What's this?" the female hissed playfully, "Is it someone new?" The female came close to the bathysphere, and when Jonouchi saw the grotesque visage, he let out a scream of terror. The female also let out a scream, but one of rage and bloodlust. Then to the horror of the two teens, she leapt right onto the bathysphere. The loud sound of metal slicing against metal echoed in their ears.

"Oh my God! Atem! She's gonna kill us! We're gonna **die**!" Jonouchi screamed as the bathysphere rocked slightly, and he hugged Atem tightly for protection. Atem, on the other hand, was covering his ears as the metal screeched with the female's attack.

"Jonouchi, look out!" Atem hollered. For suddenly, the metal burst into two holes above the door, the wires hanging out with sparks of electricity at the ends. The female once again let out an unnatural scream, until finally she leapt off of the bathysphere. She looked back once with a glare, before making a swift departure.

"Oh God, Oh God!" Jonouchi panted, his heart beating quickly.

Atem looked up in time to see the female leave. "That was too close! What **is** that thing?!"

"Hey!" a familiar voice called out. It was the man with the Chinese accent! "Hey you! Yeah, you! The one with the crimson eyes and spiky tri-colored hair!" Atem looked up, startled. The man was talking to him! "Would you kindly pick up that Shockwave Video Phone hanging by the door?" Almost on instinct Atem looked around, until he found a machine shaped like a radio with a small TV screen. He picked it up immediately. Jonouchi leaned over his friend's shoulder as an image appeared on the screen. It showed itself to be a young man, the upper part of his handsome face hidden by the straw hat of Chinese origin. From his shoulders down, the teens could see that the man was wearing a long-sleeved silk shirt of two colors, turquoise and white, and made in the style of China. A single braid of long turquoise hair hung on his shoulder from the back of his head, but it seems that it was the only hair he has. The man spoke again. "I don't know how you two survived that plane crash, but I'm not the one to question providence. I'm Raiden, and I'm here to keep you alive."

"Raiden?" Atem questioned.

"That's right, Kid." Raiden replied, "Now first things first, we need to get you and your friend to higher ground." It was then, and only then, that the door to the bathysphere opened. "All right, now take a deep breath and step out of the bathysphere. I won't leave you twisting in the wind."

"Are you sure we can trust that guy?" Jonouchi asked.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Atem asked in turn.

"Good point." Jonouchi replied. Slowly, the two teens stepped out of the bathysphere, and into a world that was nothing like its exterior. The place was in utter ruin. There was rubble lying on the floor nearby, along with tons of abandoned signposts. Some of the windows of the building even had a few cracks. "Man, it looks like a hurricane hit this place!" Jonouchi said, and suddenly, he started to panic again. "Hey hold on! W-what if that Creepy Lady shows up again?"

"Well, then we'll have to get her out of hiding." Raiden replied on the screen, "But you're going to have to trust me on this one, okay?"

"Uh, sure." Atem replied. The two teens continued to walk down the ruined hallway, and the lights seemed to grow a bit dimmer. A familiar feminine chuckle brought chills down their spine.

"I knew you'd seek me out. I'll wrap you in a sheet." The female's voice echoed seductively. Carefully Atem and Jonouchi stepped over the crumbling rubble and metal pipes. Finally, they reached what appears to be a dead end.

"That's it." Raiden said, "Just a bit further." Before the teens could take another step, the grotesque female that Jonouchi dubbed, 'the Creepy Lady' landed rather gracefully on her feet in front of them, her sickles glinting dangerously.

"Yiee!" Jonouchi yelped. But just as the female was about to lunge herself at the teens, a spotlight shone down at her. She raised her arms to cover her eyes, letting out a screech as if the light caused her pain.

"Ha! How'd you like that, bitch?!" Raiden shouted victoriously. Soon another sound filled the room, and in came small box-shaped robots with helicopter propellers. There were green lights shining on them, and they started shooting at the dangerous female. Immediately, she jumped up on to the walls and started climbing away, screaming in anger the whole time before she disappeared from view. "Now, Atem—That is your name, right?" Raiden asked.

"Yes." Atem confirmed.

"Well, would you kindly find a crowbar or something?" Asked Raiden. Immediately, Atem began his search. Raiden ranted, "Stupid splicers nailed Johnny before he… Arggh! Damn splicers!!"

"Splicers?" Jonouchi asked.

"Let me explain this," Raiden said to the blonde, "Remember that chick you dubbed 'The Creepy Lady'? That's just one of the splicers roaming this city."

"Wha?! You mean there's **more** of them?!" Jonouchi blurted. At this time, Atem finally managed to find a long stainless steel pipe, about the size of a quarterstaff.

"Is this sufficient enough?" Atem asked, showing the quarterstaff pipe to the man on the screen.

"Yeah, that's good." Raiden replied, "And I suggest you keep it. It'll come in handy."

Atem nodded and then stepped toward the rubble that was blocking the hallway. He swung the quarterstaff pipe, and the rubble was knocked down in an instant, clearing the opening. "There, it's open. Let's go!" he called out to Jonouchi.

"Hey, wait!" Jonouchi yelled as he rushed after his friend. The hallway opened to them led up to a flight of stairs. On the top, however, was a large flaming box, and suddenly there was a thud, and the box went flying down there stairs toward them!

"Whoa!" Atem shouted as he grabbed hold of Jonouchi's wrist and leapt over the box. They barely managed to dodge it, and sped up the stairs. As it turns out, there was a male at the top of the stairs. This one had the appearance of a punk rocker, his ears adorned with a mass of silver and gold earrings, and sporting a Mohawk. There were open sores where the clothes didn't cover the skin, and his face was monstrously deformed. It was made even more hideous with a sadistic grin. Atem and Jonouchi froze. This was the creature that Raiden was talking about: a splicer.

"Lookie here!" the splicer said, "Fresh meat!" And with that he swung his wrench, laughing like the maniac he is. Atem immediately held up his pipe like a true quarterstaff, blocking the wrench. "Ah, so ya wanna play rough, eh?" The splicer then tried a horizontal attack. Once again Atem blocked the attack, and swung his long pipe in a counterattack. The splicer howled in pain, dropping the wrench. "Why you--" barked the splicer, and he charged headfirst toward the crimson eyed youth. Atem jumped up, gracefully dodging the splicer's punch. Then he struck his pipe onto the ground and swung himself on it to perform whirling roundhouse kick. The creature was down for the count.

Jonouchi was staring in awe as his friend landed on his feet, panting from the hard work of the battle. "Whoa! Atem, I didn't know you're a martial artist!"

Atem wiped the sweat off his brow and said in a soft worried tone, "Neither did I…"

Suddenly, a loud noise echoed in the room they were in. They turned to see a large TV screen build on the wall, and as it turns out, it was showing a commercial of a strange product… the likes of which they have never seen before. "_**You know about Superman, right?**_" a voice in the screen said, the advertisement showing the feats of said superhero. "_**Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap over the tallest buildings in a single bound. Ever wish you could outdo superheroes like him?**_" The scene then shifts to a normal-looking man, lifting his fist. "_**Well, now you can.**_" The man's veins began to glow, covering every visible part of his body, including parts of his handsome face. The man spreads his hands, and in an instant, lightning bolts cover the screen. Then the screen shows a finely decorated glass bottle, with some red liquid inside. "_**All it takes is a plasmid, and you can be smarter than X-Men's Xavier, stronger than the so-called 'Incredible' Hulk, and put the Not-So-Fantastic Four's Human Torch to shame by simply snapping your fingers.**_" A hand that looked like a blend of flesh and hot coals appeared, and it snapped the fingers to light up a great fire. "_**And you can find the best plasmids in Mutou Industries.**_" The logo of said company appeared on the screen. "_**So splice yourself up, and Get Evolved!**_" The words, 'Get Evolved!' appeared on the screen before the whole picture turned black, all in preparation to show another random commercial.

"Mutou Industries?" Jonouchi said, "Plasmids? Man, that Ryu Mutou is an even bigger genius than we thought!"

"Speaking of plasmids," Raiden said, "Head up the stairs to the balcony, There's something up there I wanna show you." The two teens looked at each other, then headed up the stairs behind them. There, at the top, was an abandoned stand-in shop, and to better describe it, it's seen better days. Oh the front counter was a bottle with red liquid inside.

"No way!" Jonouchi gasped, "It's the same bottle we saw on that commercial!"

"Yep, this is one of the plasmids." Raiden described, "Each plasmid grants the user one of several different powers. This one, for example, is the Bolt plasmid."

"What does it do?" Atem asked in curiosity.

"Funny that you'd ask this question, Atem." Raiden replied, "Because you're the one who's going to try it out."

"Me?" Atem said in surprise.

"Yes you." Raiden said, "Now would you kindly equip that plasmid? Just inject it into yourself as if you're getting a flu shot."

Atem carefully took the bottle into his one hand along with the syringe that was by it. He took the needle out of its container of alcohol, attached it to the syringe, then he filled it up with the red liquid that was inside the bottle. Once that was done, Atem took off the studded wristband on his left side. Just below the palm, there was a tattoo in the shape of a golden chain. When Jonouchi saw this, he let out a gasp. "Atem! Where did you get that cool tattoo? I never thought you were that kind of guy!"

"I had this tattoo for as long as I could remember. I covered it up with thick wristbands, like watches, so I wouldn't get in trouble with the teachers in elementary school." Atem replied, "In all honesty, I don't even know how I got it. But now's not the time to think about such things." He stared nervously at his left wrist, then at the syringe, and back again. His heart started beating as he scanned the sight before him. Finally, with a deep breath, he raised the syringe—and stuck the needle into his wrist. Before he even knew it, he was overcome with incredible pain. In spite of that, he pushed the top of the syringe downward, and injected the red liquid into himself. Once he took the instrument out of his wrist, his hand began to shake uncontrollably.

"Atem!!" Jonouchi hollered, growing worried about his friend. Immediately, Atem's veins started to glow blue with the surge of electricity. It then spread to his other hand.

"What's—happening—to me?!" Atem shouted in a terrified voice as the glow began to spread, covering even his cheeks and forehead.

"Steady now!" Raiden said calmly, "Your genetic code is being temporarily rewritten! Just calm down, and everything will be fine!"

"CALM DOWN?!" Jonouchi blurted angrily at the Video Phone, "We're trapped under the Pacific Ocean, in a city filled with monsters, and Atem is in pain from a kooky injection, and ALL YOU HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT IS '**CALM DOWN**'?!" By then, Atem was in incredible pain, and he held his pounding head. Finally, he let out a scream of agony and ran to the balcony. Imagine Jonouchi's horror when Atem jumped off the rails and fell a short distance to the floor below, knocking himself out upon landing. "**ATEM!!**"

Note: EEEK! Cliffhanger! Will Atem be all right? Find out in the next chapter! Anyway, I must mention that there is another difference in this story. The videogame Bioshock has this guy named Atlas, but in this story, I call him Raiden and even made him look different. You'll understand why in later chapters. Anyway, please review when you get the chance! Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Hi Peeps! Here's the fourth chapter of my story! Our heroes discover incredible powers... and the terrible price that normal people had to pay for it. What's make Atem different from those people? Read and find out, for there's more martial arts action! Enjoy!

**Chapter 4: Plasmids**

As Atem lay motionlessly, face down on the floor, Jonouchi was once again in panic mode. "Atem! Are you okay, man? Speak to me!" When there was no response, his panic was replaced with rage. "YOU JERK!!" he barked at the man in the Video Phone, "You did this to my friend, didn't you?!"

"Before you point any fingers at me, I suggest you shut up and hide." Raiden said calmly, "I'm detecting splicers on my radar."

"What?!" Jonouchi blurted, "But I can't just leave Atem lying around like this!"

"Just shut up and do as I tell you!" Raiden barked. "Even if you are capable of fighting, you're no match for the splicers at this point." Jonouchi just let out an angry growl and hid himself from view, not taking his eyes off Atem. Before long, two male splicers made their arrival. Both appeared as if they were stars of a rap music video, but the masks they wore were ones seen in a fantasy version of a masquerade ball. Obviously their faces were downright hideous. Jonouchi's eyes widened in horror as the two splicers approached his friend. At the same time, Atem opened his eyes halfway, just in time to see the splicers in front of him. Unfortunately, he was in too much pain to even move, or even shout out for help. One of the splicers bent down.

"This little squid looks like he's got kicked in the crotch." He said, "You think he got some Nagi on him?"

"Dunno, let's find out." replied the other splicer with glee. Atem fell unconscious yet again, just as that creature took out a knife.

"All right, that's it!" Jonouchi said impatiently, "I'm going in!" But just as he was about to get out of his hiding place, a loud whale call echoed in the whole room.

The splicer with the knife stopped in his tracks, just as Atem opened his eyes again. "Whuzzat? Do you hear that? Let's get outta here!"

"WIMP! You're a wimp, buster!" insulted the first splicer.

"Well it's better than being mincemeat to that Big Daddy!" shouted the cowering splicer as he ran.

"Chicken! Always have been!" The first splicer knelt down to Atem again saying, "You're no better off than the rest of them in the face of Big Daddy, little squid. I'll see ya floatin'!" The splicer ran off soon after, just as Atem closed his eyes yet again.

"Whew! Good thing the whale scared them off!" Jonouchi said with a sigh of relief. "Now I can get down here to help--"

"Not yet, Jonouchi!" Raiden said, much to the blonde's annoyance, "Besides, that's no whale you're hearing." At this moment, the whole room seemed to shake with very heavy footsteps. The whale call seemed to become even louder, and Atem regained consciousness again. A new figure appeared in the shadows. It was big, very big, and Jonouchi stared at it with widened terrified eyes. Finally, the huge figure lumbered out of the shadows. It was a giant monstrosity of an old rusty diving suit made in the early twentieth century, with multiple glowing eye holes in its helmet, and a metal barrel on its back, and instead of a right hand, there was a humoungus drill. With heavy booted footsteps, it eventually stopped in front of Atem, letting out the song of a humpback whale. Jonouchi was shaking at the sight of that creature, but then something strange happened. A small boy, no older than ten, stepped out from behind the large diving suit. He had black hair that was a little past his shoulders, though it was tangled and filthy. He wore a striped long-sleeved shirt that alternated between azure and navy blue, and over that shirt was a yellow vest made for the outdoors. He even had blue jeans with a hole that exposed one knee, and blue sneakers that close to wearing out. In fact, his whole outfit was covered in filth and what appears to be blood. But the most startling trait of this boy was the ghostly pale skin, and his eyes were glowing the same color as the eye holes in the diving suit's helmet: yellow. And if that wasn't enough, he was carrying what looked like a mix between a gun and a syringe.

He made a small jog toward Atem and said, "Check it out, Bubbles! Who knew you'd find an angel in a place like this!" The giant diving suit groaned a whale song in response, as if to agree with the boy. The boy came a little closer to examine the body before him. "That's funny," he said, "I see light coming from his stomach." At the right moment, a sharp stab of pain shot through Atem's stomach, and wincing, he let out a loud gasp. The startled boy quickly stepped back, saying, "Hey, hold on a minute!" After looking over Atem for a few more seconds, the boy finally sighed, "Aw man, he's still breathing! Don't you worry, Bubbles. When we come back, he'll be an angel in no time!" The boy then walked away, with the giant diving suit lumbering behind him. Soon the whole room was silent, and with the pain vanishing, Atem started moving.

"Okay, the coast is clear!" Raiden said, "You can go down now."

"Well it's about time!" Jonouchi barked, and immediately rushed down the stairs just as his friend was getting to his knees. "Atem! Atem, are you all right?"

Atem rose to his feet, clutching his forehead as Jonouchi came by him. "My head's still pounding, but I'm okay."

"Yeah, I know what you're feeling." Raiden said in the Video Phone, "First time plasmid use is a real kick in the ass, but you know, there's nothing like a fistful of lightning." Atem immediately took his hand off his forehead and looked at himself with astonishment. The veins all over his body still glowed azure, gracefully framing even his cheeks and his forehead. What surprised him most is that there were small sparks of electricity that traveled to his fingertips without causing him any harm.

Jonouchi whistled. "After all that, you actually look kind cool Atem!"

"That's not all." Raiden replied to the crimson-eyed youth, "Try it out on that switch over there. Something is bound to happen." Atem stared at the Video Phone in confusion, then at the switch by a door that was shut tight. "Lift up your hand, and concentrate." Raiden instructed. Slowly, Atem lifted his left hand towards the switch. After what felt like a long time, but in a mere thirty seconds in reality, small bolts of lightning began to gather on his hand. In a flash a huge lightning bolt shot out, hitting the switch and charging it with much-needed electricity and nearly knocking over its surprised wielder in the process. Soon after, the door opened to reveal a glass tunnel beyond.

"Wow…!" Atem gasped, "This… This is **incredible**!"

"Awesome!" Jonouchi cheered, "It like you're a wizard or something!"

"Whatever the case, let's keep going." Raiden suggested. So the two teens ran through the door. Suddenly the whole tunnel started to shake. It was a miracle that they even managed to keep their balance.

"GAAH! INCOMING AIRPLANE RUIN!" Jonouchi screamed upon seeing the ruined half of the plane that they were on. It crashed right into the side of the tunnel, and ocean water gushed right in.

"Go, go, GO!" Atem shouted as he and his friend rushed in the plane and out the other side to continue their way through the tunnel. All around them, there were other tunnels collapsing and filling up with water. The two teens hurried onward to the next functional door and passed through just in time.

"Geez, this place needs a repairman!" Jonouchi said panting.

Atem looked around the leaky bloodstained room and shook his head. "Even if there is one, I doubt he'll be able to survive long enough." Atem's body began to shiver, and not just from the cold water. "I'm starting to smell death in this city." Soon, there was mad laughter echoing in the empty room. A shadow sped in front of them, dragging metal against the floor.

"What was that?!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Splicer!" Raiden shouted, "Atem, give him the combo! Zap him, them whack him! The one-two punch! Remember, the one-two punch!" Immediately the splicer came out of nowhere, holding a smaller pipe in his hand.

"Get back!" Atem shouted to Jonouchi, pushing his friend behind him, and he shot the lightning at the splicer. The electrocuted splicer howled, and Atem moved in to strike him with an uppercut.

Once that creature was down, Raiden said, "You can also combine the Bolt with your karate moves, and even channel it into your weapon for massive damage!" No sooner than Raiden finished his sentence than two more splicers came into view.

"I'll pulverize you!" one of them splicer shouted at random and lunged itself toward the teens. Immediately Atem took out his quarterstaff pipe, then struck the splicer with a Bolt-powered karate kick. Once that one was down, he channeled the electricity into his quarterstaff and slammed it onto the other attacking splicer, knocking him dead as well.

"Geez, Atem! Now you're making me jealous!" Jonouchi said, "I wanna fight those creeps too!"

"Don't worry Jonouchi," reassured Atem with a playful smirk, "We'll find a way for you to join in!" Soon, however, the serious look returned to his face. "Now let's head up." Jonouchi nodded and the two teens sped up the stairs. To their delight, there was a row of elevators up in the next room.

At the top of one, there was a voice speaking in a panicked tone. "Wait, I'm sorry! I won't do it again, just don't touch that button! Please don't, nonono NO--" KABLAM! The very top of the right-hand corner exploded, and from what the teens could see, the resulting flames sped all the way down to their level through the shaft of one of the elevators, landing with an earth-shaking thud. When the doors of that elevator opened, out came yet another splicer, wreathed in flames and screaming loudly. He charged toward the teens and almost singed them in the process. Atem, knowing better than to risk using his martial arts on a walking bonfire, zapped the splicer with his Bolt, and let him crumple to the ground.

"Can't we take the stairs to get up?" Jonouchi said after seeing the hazards.

"There **are** no stairs in this room. We have no other choice." Atem replied, earning a disappointed groan from his friend. In the end, they decided on the middle elevator and went in. It was the kind of elevator with a view, and so they looked over the crumbling parts of the city as they went up. Atem then took the Video Phone into his hand, ad when he looked at the screen, his eyes widened in surprise. There were tears streaming down Raiden's cheeks. "Raiden?" Atem asked in concern, "What's wrong? Are you wounded somewhere?"

Raiden wiped his tears even as more came down. "I have no wounds, Atem, but that's not why I'm crying."

"Then why?" Atem asked.

"Listen to me. You may not have known this, but… I have a family." Raiden explained sorrowfully. "I need to get them out of here, but the splicers have cut me off. If you could get to them at Dragon King's Bounty, then maybe, just maybe…" Raiden let out a sigh and continued. "I know by the looks of your faces, that you feel like the unluckiest boys in the world right now, but you're the only hope I have for seeing my wife and child again. Go to Dragon King's Bounty. Find my family, please!"

Atem and Jonouchi stared in amazement at Raiden's speech. Then when it was finished, Atem's gaze softened and with a single nod, he said, "All right Raiden. We'll do our best to save your loved ones. Isn't that right, Jonouchi?"

"Right, Atem!" Jonouchi confirmed with a tinge of pity, "Poor guy, he must be worried sick! Now I feel bad for ratting him." By the time the conversation was finished, the elevator had already reached the top. As the teens stepped out, there was a new voice echoing in the halls. "Hey, do you hear that?" Jonouchi said, "It sounded like a woman!" They followed the voice through the hallway, until finally they saw that there was, indeed, a woman standing close by the door to a restaurant. Nearby, there was a little baby carriage, and the woman was talking to whatever is in it.

"…Mommy's gone… and Daddy, too. Wait! This is happening before! Oh, why does it have to be now, and not then when you are still warm and sweet?"

"Is this Raiden's family?" Jonouchi inquired.

"I don't think so." Atem said, "Raiden would tell us if we see them."

"Well, either way, I'm going to go over and give this lady some comfort." Jonouchi said.

Atem suddenly let out a gasp. "No Jonouchi! Something's not right!"

"Of course something's not right!" Jonouchi insisted, "That mom is feeling depressed even as she's trying to calm down her baby. I'm going over there to cheer her up."

"No, wait!" Atem said frantically, trying in vain to hold back his friend, who just walked over to the mother, who by now was crying.

"Hey Miss," Jonouchi said quietly, getting as close to the mother as possible, "I can't help but notice how distressed you are. Is something wrong?" The mother gave no reply and continued crying. "Uh, Miss?" Jonouchi questioned, reaching out to touch her. In an instant, the 'mother' turned around—to reveal a hideously deformed face.

"BABY IN ME!! BABY IN ME!!" the woman screamed an started swinging her metal pipe at the blonde.

"YAAAAH!!" Jonouchi screamed in horror as he tried to dodge the attack, but he wasn't fast enough. He was fast enough to raise his arm to defend his face as the pipe struck him, but it was enough to knock him to the ground, hard. The woman screamed in anger before raising her weapon to strike him again. But just before she even got the chance, a bolt of lightning struck her, and Atem finished her off with a flying kick. Once she was down, Jonouchi stared in utter shock. "No way!" he shouted, "That chick was a splicer too?!"

"I'm afraid so." Raiden said. Atem stared at the now dead splicer in utter shock.

"And to think, she looked like a normal human being from a distance!" he said.

"She **was** a human being…" Raiden said, "Or at least, she used to be."

The two teens gasped at the revelation, and Atem asked, "But… how did this happen?"

"Let's just say that plasmids changed everything." Raiden said.

"Plasmids?" Atem gasped. "You mean to say that plasmids…?!"

"To put in more simple terms, they're like a double-edged sword." Raiden explained, "They grant extraordinary powers… and yet at the same time, it is capable of destroying bodies… and minds." Atem's eyes widened in panic. Since he equipped a plasmid himself, does that me that he could…? As if Raiden read his mind, he said to him, "You, Atem, have nothing to worry about, for you are one of the lucky ones: the Plasmunds. Normal humans couldn't handle plasmids without suffering the negative side effects. Yet in the past two years, most of the population tried using them anyway. As a result, the whole city went to every hell found around the world. Imagine it if you can, best friends butchering one another, and babies strangled in cribs. Luckily, there are survivors who managed to retain their humanity, and they have all fled Kyoki and took shelter in miniature towns known as Safehouses. Very few humans have ever returned to the main city since, and the Plasmunds are among those few."

Atem and Jonouchi both let out a sigh of relief. "At least it's good to know that this city still has people!"

"And I'm glad I won't be turning into a splicer anytime soon!" Atem said, and was about to move on into the restaurant when he saw the contents of the carriage. "By the way, Jonouchi, there's something in this carriage, and it's not a baby."

"It's not?" Jonouchi said, coming closer, "What is it then?" As if to answer that question, Atem lifted the object into view. It was a sword, made of fine steel with a pommel and hilt shaped like the lid and metal lining that surrounded the plasmid bottle. When Jonouchi saw that sword, a sense of excitement grew within him. "Whoa! Is this for real?"

"Looks real enough to me." Atem said, "You can have it. That way you'll finally be able to stand up to those splicers and join me in the battle."

"Gee, thanks Atem!" Jonouchi replied gratefully, taking the sword and strapping it to his back. "WooHoo! Look out splicers! Jonouchi the swordsman is armed and ready!" With that, the two teens made their way to the restaurant, the Kasmir by name, and when they opened the door, they gasped in shock at what they saw inside.

Note: What did our heroes find? The answer is in the next chapter! In the game, substance from which plasmids are made is known as Adam. It's the same substance, but I changed the name to Nagi. And, yes, I know what you're thinking when it comes to Big Daddies and Little Sisters. Are you replacing the Little Sisters with Little Brothers? The answer is, no, not entirely. In this story, there are little boys and little girls equally, so they go by a different name. You'll find out what it is in the next chapter as well. As for the child described in this chapter, can you guess who that is? Until next time, please give me some nice reviews!


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Hi again! I've been hearing of some loya fans begging me to update "Blue Eyes White Mermaid" soon, since they love it so much. I'M TRYING! Waah! Stupid Writer's Block! Anyway, here's the next chapter of Plasmashock. Some more weird stuff goes on, and a certain tyrant shows himself. Enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Ghosts and Scavengers**

The whole restaurant was in terrible shape. There were tremendous leaks where the windows have cracked, furniture was turned over, and worst of all, there were corpses in many places, some fresh, some half-rotted. Blood stained the floor and walls, and the air was filled with moisture and the scent of death. "Oh my God!" Jonouchi gasped, as he and Atem stepped inside, "This is place is not like the entrance…. This looks like the aftermath of a terrorist attack!"

"If it is," Atem said, "We don't have to look very far to know the date it happened." Jonouchi looked where his friend was staring and found that he was right. There was a toppled sign that showed the date loud and clear: New Years, 2006. No doubt it happened exactly two years ago.

"I'll do what I want! It's my Nagi, I earned it!" called a feminine voice roughly from downstairs.

"You can't have any Nagi without giving me a sip! Open the door!" argued a masculine voice, followed by a pair of fists slamming on wood. Immediately Atem and Jonouchi rushed to a flight of side stairs to investigate the commotion. It turns out there was a splicer male slamming the door that led to the kitchen, and by the sounds of it, he was arguing with another splicer.

"You want my Nagi that badly?" The other voice threatened, "Then you got it!" The door opened… and bullets flew right out with the sound of gunshots, piercing the male splicer's body until he fell dead. Then out came the female splicer, with a machine gun in her hands. "Ha! Let's see you try and get my Nagi now!"

"Ah Shaddup!" called another voice, followed by loud boom of a shotgun, which killed that splicer instantly.

"Okaaay, that was random." Jonouchi said. The two teens carefully stepped down to where the bodies now lie.

"Hey, Atem, before I forget," Raiden said, "If you spot a splicer in the water, hit them with the Bolt." Atem smirked to himself when he heard this. He knew well that water increases the power of electricity, and with the Bolt plasmid in hand, it is bound to come in handy. And Atem didn't have to go very far to try it out, for when he looked around that room, he immediately spotted two splicers in a pool of floodwater. One of them carried the shotgun that killed the arrogant female splicer. Wanting to avoid a potential brawl with those gun possessors, he struck the water with his lightning bolt, and the two splicers in the water were electrocuted before they even had a chance to attack.

Once the electricity died down, Atem stepped toward the flooding segment. On one of the tables there was a strange machine lying in the center, and Atem saw it, he was filled with curiosity. Jonouchi also saw this device and went over to get a closer look as Atem picked it up. "Huh? What's that thing."

"Looks like some kind of video recording machine." Atem said, looking over the device. He found an arrow-shaped button with the words 'Play' underneath it, and he pushed that button. Instantly, a picture appeared on the screen, showing the very same restaurant before it was the ruin it is now: beautiful, vibrant, and filled with life. The people in the video were all in their rich evening wear, and sporting masks in the shapes of certain animals, like rabbits, cats, and the like. Lively music could be heard in the background as one of those richly dressed folk, a woman, appeared to nearly fill the screen. She had a pretty face and had long strawberry blonde hair. Yet she seemed upset. She let out a sigh.

"_**Another New Years… another night alone. I'm up here, and… you're stuck in the Great Forge, working. Hmph, that's become old news by now, but… imagine my surprise when I found out that your son isn't going to join me this time.**_" The woman then filled up a glass of wine. "_**Oh well, I guess I'll have another drink.**_" She lifted the glass high. "_**Here's a toast to Diane McClintock, the silliest girl in Kyoki! Silly enough to fall in love with Ryu Mutou… Silly enough to--**_" But before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud explosion that knocked the woman, Diane, out of view as the scene then fell to a sideways view of the carnage that destroyed the festive atmosphere, and filled the room with terrified screams and gunshots. Some people, obviously splicers, came into view and thrust a large knife into the heart of a bystander, and a hand crawled onto the screen along with drops of blood. "_**Oh! I'm bleeding!**_" Diane whimpered, "_**What's happening? Oh God!**_" Then the screen went blank.

The whole time, the teens stared in utter shock. "So that's what happened to this place." Atem said in a soft tone. "It's a wonder how any person could have survived that day."

"That lady was talking about Ryu Mutou, which means he actually exists in this century!" Jonouchi said, "Do you think he died along with the others? And she said something about, 'his son'. I didn't know he had any kids. Does that mean he's married or something?"

"Whoever that man is," Atem said, "he sure must have been a faithful husband." No other words were said as they headed back up the stairs. Atem suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Jonouchi, listen!" he said, "Do you hear something? It sounds like someone is crying."

"I don't hear anything." Jonouchi said. This left Atem very perplexed. He could have sworn he had actually heard something! He decided to follow the sound. "Huh? Hey! Where are you going? Have you gone nuts?!"

Atem stopped in front of the bathroom area, where the voice was loud and clear. "It's coming from… in **there**!" he said, blushing a bit as he was pointing to the women's side. In spite of this, he went in.

"Atem!" Jonouchi shouted, running in with him. Atem stood frozen with widened eyes.

"Jonouchi! There's a woman over there!" he gasped. Indeed, there was a woman, staring at a broken mirror and crying.

"What are you talking about?!" Jonouchi shouted, "I don't see anybody here! Just an empty bathroom!"

Atem chose to ignore his friend's comment, and stepped toward the woman, putting his hand on his metal quarterstaff just in case she turned out to be a splicer. That's when she heard her speak. "Too spliced up… even in death, I'm too spliced up! Nobody's going to want me!" This comment brought chills down to his spine. And now he realized that he could see right **through** her! And this could only mean one thing. Suddenly, the woman looked up at him. Her eyes widened in shock, and she let out a scream, pointing at him accusingly. "EEEK! You pervert! YOU PERVERT!"

"S-sorry!" Atem said, backing away, "I didn't mean to intrude!" He then grabbed Jonouchi by the wrist and rushed out.

"Well you better be sorry!" the ghost woman shouted back. The two teens quickly went into the men's side of the bathroom, and Atem was panting, his heart beating fast.

"Atem, you really **are** losing it!" Jonouchi said in a mix of anger and annoyance. "There is absolutely no one in that bathroom! Get a hold of yourself!"

"I'M TRYING!" Atem shouted. And indeed, it took him a while to calm down.

"Are you okay now?" Jonouchi asked, calming down himself.

"Yeah," Atem replied, "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Atem slowly looked over to the side. "Look over there, Jonouchi. Is it just me, or is there some kind of hole in the wall?" Jonouchi looked and knew that he was right. There really was a hole on the side on the bathroom. A pretty big hole in fact, big enough for them to fit through. The two friends looked at each other. "Should we?" Atem said.

"After you!" Jonouchi agreed. Atem crawled through the hole, with Jonouchi behind him. Once he stood up, Atem heard a soft sound, and took out his quarterstaff and raised up.

"Careful you two!" Raiden said suddenly. "Atem, would you kindly lower your weapon for a minute?" Atem did just that, and listened more carefully, as did Jonouchi. The sound was a voice, but it was different from all the voices they've heard so far. In fact, it sounded like a child. The two teens crept over a suspended catwalk and looked down. They gasped in amazement. "I don't believe it! It's a little girl!" Atem said. Indeed, kneeling by a corpse, there was a little girl of East Asian origin, no older than seven years old. Her filthy black hair was in a bun with a braid reaching her shoulder on the right side, while on the left side, there was just a straight braid that reached down to her hip. She wore a light pink shirt held up by straps, decorated with a dragon, and a tattered coral pink skirt that reached her knees. The clothes were covered in filth and blood, and she was barefoot, her soles covered in street filth. A closer look revealed that she had ghost pale skin and glowing yellow eyes, and in her hand, she held a mix between a gun and a syringe. It was being thrust in and out of the nearby corpse and the tube filled up with what appeared to be blood.

"She's just like the kid we saw earlier!" Jonouchi said.

"You think that's a child down there?" Raiden said quietly, "Don't be fooled. She's one of the Scavengers now."

"Scavengers?" Atem said, not taking his eye off the little girl.

"Someone went about and turned sweet baby boys and girls and turned them in monsters like this." Raiden said with a hint of disgust. "In fact, that little boy you saw earlier is also a Scavenger. Whatever thoughts you have about what's right or wrong on the surface, well, that doesn't mean much in Kyoki." The little girl started singing a cheerful little song as she continued draining the blood out of the corpse, but as Atem listened, it had a tinge of sadness about it. Even her seemingly carefree attitude couldn't hide the misery seen in her tears, and Atem felt an intense pain in his heart at the sad sight. Raiden interrupted his thoughts by saying, "Those Scavengers **are** important though. They carry Nagi."

"Nagi?" Atem said, "That's what we heard from the splicers!"

"Yeah!" Jonouchi said, "Which leads to the question: What exactly **is** Nagi?"

"It's the source of all plasmids in Kyoki, the gears that keep the wheels of Kyoki turning." Raiden explained, "Everybody wants us, everybody needs us." The two teens carefully navigated the catwalk until they reached the other side.

"That kid does look a **little** creepy, doesn't she?" Jonouchi admitted.

"She does." Atem said, "But still, monster or not, I can't help but feel sorry for her. She may look happy on the outside, but I have a gut feeling that deep inside, she is anything but."

"And I have a gut feeling you might be right." Jonouchi replied. They traveled down the mangled stairs and were about to move on when Jonouchi looked at the nearby window and saw the girl take the syringe, open the top, turn it upside down and swallow the red substance that was inside. "Eww GROSS!" said Jonouchi, making a face at the sight. "She's drinking that stuff she got from the dead body! Now **that** is NASTY!"

Atem quickly turned to look at the sight in the window, then replied, "I bet you five hundred yen that this little girl is thinking the exact same thing. I mean look at her! The poor thing's grimacing even as she's drinking the blood!" It was at this moment that a splicer made his entrance. Atem gasped in horror as the splicer looked around him and then made his approach on the little Scavenger as she finished drinking the contents. "Oh no! Look out, Little One! Behind you!" Atem quietly shouted to her. As if she had heard him, the Scavenger looked from behind her and was frozen in fear upon seeing the splicer coming toward her.

"Heh heh heh, Now you be a good little girl and keep quiet while I harvest the tasty Nagi outta--" the splicer said. But the Scavenger, knowing that she was in danger, let out an ear-piercing scream of distress before her attacker could finish his sentence. "I said, KEEP QUIET!" the splicer shouted angrily, and he struck the girl with his wrench, knocking her to the floor.

"Leave her alone!" Atem hollered, his own anger rising at this cruel act. Then suddenly a loud whale call bellowed in the room.

"What the?!" Jonouchi shouted and soon, out came a familiar behemoth lumbering into view from the top corner. "YAAHH! It's that giant Diving Suit again! And he looks mad!"

"Mr. Bubbles!" the Scavenger shouted.

"Argh! Now look what you've done you little brat!" the angry splicer hollered, then he took out a revolver and began shooting at the giant Diving Suit.

The Scavenger scrambled to her feet and ran towards 'Mr. Bubbles' to safety. "Get him Mr. Bubbles!" she shouted, "Make that scary monster go away!" And with that, the giant Diving Suit jumped down and rushed toward the splicer at an incredible speed that was impossible for creatures of its size and mass. It slammed a punch at the attacker, sending him straight to a wall. The splicer got up to attempt a counterattack, but instead got a drill in the chest. Atem and Jonouchi had to move out of the way when the beast grabbed the weakened assailant by the head and slammed him through the window for the finishing blow. Everything calmed down soon after that. "Is he gone Mr. Bubbles?" the Scavenger asked, peeking from the shadows. The Diving Suit let out a whale call and gestured her to come over. She ran over to it, saying "Thank you, Mr. Bubbles. Let's get back to my hiding place, I'm ready for dream time."

"Oi! You see what that monster just did?!" Jonouchi gasped. "That splicer didn't even stand a chance!"

"But what is that creature?" Atem asked aloud.

"I knew you'd ask, my friends." Raiden said on the Video Phone. "That is the Hunter. The locals mostly refer to it as the Big Daddy, and its female counterpart is referred at the Big Bertha. But no matter what you call it, their purpose remains the same: The Scavengers gather Nagi, the Hunters keep them safe. In other words, they're essentially bodyguards." By then, the strange pair had already made their departure. "In any case, let's continue to Dragon King's Bounty."

"Good idea." Atem said. And so, he and Jonouchi continued on their journey, unaware that there was a camera following their every move.

* * *

Inside a nearly darkened part of an office, a distinguished middle-aged man sat by his desk in the control room. The man was none other than Ryu Mutou, and he was staring at the large TV screen in front of him. On that screen, caught by the first of his many security cameras, was a certain pair of teenage boys. Mutou frowned. "It seems that we have some parasites worming their way into my city. But to think they're only children!" The camera zooms in on the crimson-eyed youth. "And this boy… why does he remind me of someone I know? No matter, a parasite is a parasite. They must be eliminated."

* * *

The two teens had finished navigating the next stairway and finally reached the place that holds a certain goal. "There it is!" Atem said, pointing to the gateway, "The entrance to Dragon King's Bounty!"

"All right!" Jonouchi rejoiced, "Let's head on over there!" The two teens rushed over to the gateway, but just as they were about to enter the gateway, the gate shut right in front of them. "What the?!" Jonouchi shouted, and immediately, the alarm sounded. Fire shot out of the locked gate, and the two teens barely managed to dodge it. But once they were back at the center of the large ruined hall, more sounds came streaming through: angry screams and mad laugher, all of which lust for blood. It wasn't long before a large number of grotesque figures began to appear.

"Oh no! It a mob of splicers!" Atem shouted.

"Hey, maybe it's just like a videogame!" Jonouchi suggested, "The door to Dragon King's Bounty won't open until we defeat all the splicers!"

"That makes sense!" Atem said, raising his quarterstaff as his friend drew his sword.

"Let's tear them apart!" Jonouchi said, and with a battle cry, he leapt forward and sliced a splicer in two. Another one stepped forward and swung his crowbar on the blonde, but Jonouchi saw it coming and slashed open his opponent's stomach. "I'm good!" he said to himself. Meanwhile, some other splicers were shooting at Atem with machine guns, but Atem swung his metal quarterstaff in vertical circles in a way that it hit most of the incoming bullets, blocking the overall attack and sending the bullets back at the splicers all at the same time. After that, another group of splicers, male and female, decided to go hand to hand in order to take down the crimson eyed youth. Atem powered up his Bolt power and attacked with a flurry of quarterstaff attacks, even performing a karate kick or two, all of them charged with electricity. One particular splicer grabbed hold of the staff, trying to pry it out of Atem's hands. He slammed his weapon right into the splicer's head, then did a handstand on her shoulder, backflipped to the other side in place, then slammed her right onto the ground with an overhead throw, all in one fluid motion. Jonouchi decided to perform some moves of his own, thrusting his sword right through the heart of another attacker, then putting his foot on the stomach, he rolled backward and threw the splicer right into the wall. But just when the two teens had wiped out one wave of the splicer mob, another wave began to surge into the room like a tidal wave.

"There's too many of them!" Atem shouted, growing exhausted.

"Hey look!" Jonouchi shouted, pointing outward. "There's a pool of water where the mob is gathering!"

Atem gasped with a sense of inspiration. "You're right!" he said, and he raised his left hand, palm open, and a ball of electricity began to form. Once it was large enough, he let it loose on the water. Every single splicer in the mob was electrocuted and destroyed.

"YES!" Jonouchi shouted, punching his fist up into the air in victory. Atem gave a confident smile, but when he turned to look at the locked gateway, the smile disappeared. "Atem?"

"The gate's not opening." Atem said.

"It's Mutou!" Raiden suddenly hollered on the Video Phone, "Goddamn Ryu Mutou!"

"Ryu Mutou?!" Jonouchi said in shock, "You mean that guy's still alive?!"

"Yes!" Raiden said, "And he's cut off access to Dragon King's Bounty! Don't give up, there's another way to get there! There's a Safehouse close by, so take a rest, and head to the Medical Pavilion from there! What are you waiting for?! Go!"

"Crud!" Atem swore in anger, "Let's go Jonouchi!"

"You got it!" Jonouchi said, and the two teens ran down the hall on the other side. Eventually, they reached some steel doors, reminiscent of the safes found in the banks. They went through it into a small room, and saw another door. But as they came close to it, the door slammed shut. So did the door they went through to come in, and everything went dark.

"Mother of Ra! We're trapped!" Atem hollered.

"Damn it!" Raiden cursed, "I'm going to try to override it from here. I won't be able to contact you after you enter the Safehouse though, so I'll be waiting for you until you reach the Medical Pavilion." The Video Phone turned off, but suddenly, light began to shine into the room. The two teens slowly turned about and saw a large TV screen behind an equally large window. In fact, there were color TVs everywhere. On every one of them, the logo of Mutou Industries was on there, but then the picture shifted. Soon a certain middle-aged man appeared on the screen.

"_**It comes as a surprise to me that a couple of children have made their way this city. But even age doesn't matter when it comes to parasites.**_"

"Ryu Mutou…" Atem whispered.

"_**So tell me, which one of the meddling government organizations sent you? The MSS Hawk, or the DIH Vulture?**_" Mutou questioned. "_**Whichever it is, let me tell you something: Kyoki is no sunken ship to be plundered, and Ryu Mutou is not the giddy socialite to be trifled with. And with that, sayonara, or zai jian if you prefer.**_" The screens returned to the show the logo, and suddenly, splicers began to crowd to the window. To their horror, they started to bash on the window in order to break through.

"We're not gonna make it!" Jonouchi shouted. Suddenly the door behind them started to open up. It was then that the Video Phone turned on once again.

"I got it!" Raiden said, "Get out of here, get out now!" The boys didn't have to be told twice. They ran through the door into the tunnel leading to the Safehouse, locking it up again so that the splicers wouldn't follow.

Note: Whew, now that was one tiring adventure! I forgot to mention, Dragon King's Bounty is basically my story equivalent of Neptune's Bounty! On a side note, MSS and DIH are basically the CIA of China and Japan respectively. In the next chapter, our heroes explore thier first Safehouse, guided by a certain character that is actually from the videogame! Until Next Time!


	6. Chapter 6

Note: Well, I'm still trying to figure out how to get over this hurdle of Writer's Block. In the meantime, here's yet another chapter in Plasmashock! A certain character in the Bioshock videogame has an even more significant role to play in this story, and I'm sure those Biohock fans would also recognize the name. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 6: The Asclepius Safehouse**

Atem and Jonouchi ran as fast as they could toward the metal door leading to the first Safehouse, and though the hall was only a few measures away, it felt like forever for the two teens. At last, however, they reached that door, turned the handle to open it up, then once they sped through, they slammed it shut. Only then did they stop running, and an exhausted Atem let himself sink to the floor to sit down. "We made it!" he panted.

Jonouchi let out a sigh before he leaned on the door and sank down to sit and well. "A few more minutes back there and we'd be goners!" Atem lowered his head.

"Jonouchi, I'm sorry I got you into this mess." Atem said sadly.

"No need to apologize, buddy. It's not your fault." Jonouchi reassured, "It was my choice to come with you in the first place, and I'm sticking with you no matter what happens. We'll find a way out of this place, and when we do, we'll pick up from where we left off and go search for the key to your past."

Atem looked up at his friend and smiled. "Thank you." The teens were so busy talking that they didn't notice the sound of footsteps coming toward them.

"I see you've met Ryu Mutou, the self-proclaimed king of Kyoki." A feminine voice said to them, causing both teens to jump in surprise, "Although if you ask me, he's more of a tyrant nowadays." They looked up and saw a woman standing right in front of them. She had curly brown hair and green eyes, and was wearing a lab coat that reached to where he knees are. An ankle-length business skirt could be seen, as well as gray pantyhose and dull, dark red high heels. A pair of glasses not only enhanced her pretty face, it revealed her intelligence as well, giving the two teens the image of the typical pretty scientist. She stared at the two teens before a curious smirk came across her lips. "In all the years I have spent down here, I've never seen the likes of you before." She stepped closer toward Atem, looking puzzled. "Although, I must admit Kid, when I look at **you**, you remind me of someone I know…" Atem simply stared at the woman in confusion as she gave a confident smile. "But that's not important right now. I'm glad to see that there are more non-splicers in this city, especially if they turn out to be Plasmunds." Her eyes traced over the pattern of glowing azure veins that ran across Atem's body. "Could it be possible that a newcomer like you would be a Plasmund?" She reached into one of her pockets and took out a small syringe. "I suppose there's only one sure way to find out." she reached out with an open hand, "Hold out your arm Kid."

"Huh?" Atem said.

"Just hold it out, I'm not gonna bite you or anything." The woman insisted. Atem was rather hesitant, but finally he held out his left arm. The woman took hold of it. "Now hold still." she said, "This will be over in a few seconds." And with that, she carefully stuck the syringe into Atem's arm. He winced a bit as she gathered his blood, but it was done in a flash. "There! Now that wasn't so bad, was it? Since you have already equipped a plasmid by the time you got here, I'll be using a different method to test your blood."

"What are you testing it for?" Atem asked in curiosity.

"Nagi compatibility, what else." She simply replied.

"Nagi… compatibility?" Jonouchi said in confusion.

The woman let out a sigh and said, "You must be from the surface, right? I guess it's no surprise; surface dwellers like you wouldn't know anything about something like this. So I'll tell you what, I'll take you to one of the shops for a bite to eat, and I'll explain there. Oh, and before I forget, allow me to introduce myself. The name's Julie Langford. I happen to be a scientist as you can obviously see. So what are your names?"

"I- I'm Atem Kakita." Atem said standing up.

"And I'm Jonouchi Katsuya." Jonouchi replied, getting to his feet as well and shook the scientist's hand. "Pleased to meet you Ms. Langford."

"The pleasure is mine," Julie replied with a wink, "and please, call me Julie. In any case, let me welcome you to the Asclepius Safehouse. Oh yeah! Jonouchi! You didn't use any plasmids or gene tonics yourself, right?"

"Uh no, not really." Jonouchi admitted.

Julie took out another clean syringe, stuck out Jonouchi's arm and said, "You don't mind if I test your blood too, do you?"

"No…" Jonouchi said before she stuck the needle of the syringe in. The blonde let out a loud "YERK!" on the initial prick.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad!" Julie said as she drained a bit of Jonouchi's blood. Once she got the small amount she needed, she carefully took the syringe out without leaving a wound. "Now that we got that done and over with, Let's go to town shall we?"

"Yeah. Let's." Jonouchi managed to say.

* * *

Upon setting foot in the Asclepius Safehouse for the first time, Atem and Jonouchi gasped in amazement. It was just like a downtown suburb seen on the surface, yet the shops and apartments fit seamlessly like the stores in a large shopping mall. People, many of them normal humans, walked the streets living out their daily lives. "Wow! It's just like piece of home built underwater." Jonouchi gasped.

"This is just one of the five Safehouses found on the edges of Kyoki." Julie said, "It serves as the home for many of the refugees who fled the city after the 2006 New Years attack." Atem looked around the small street, and began to notice that many of the refugees were giving him a curious look, a few of them feeling a little fearful.

"Julie," he said nervously, "They're staring at me."

"Oh!" she said, "That's because they've noticed the Bolt plasmid glowing on your body. If you don't want it to be seen, you can hide its appearance just by willing it so."

"Will it disappear if I do that?" Atem asked.

"Not if you don't want it to." Julie replied, "When you get yourself ready for battle, you can reactivate the Bolt and the glow will return on your skin." Atem nodded, closed his eyes, and in a flash his skin returned to normal. Even so, to his relief, the power still thrummed within him. Seeing that the newcomers meant them no harm, the refugees continued on with their lives. It wasn't long before they reached a well known all-you-can-eat buffet, which also doubles as a hotel. "Well, this is the place." Julie said. "Make yourselves at home."

* * *

The waiter handed the drinks over to the booth where Julie and Atem were sitting. "Ms. Langford! Good to see you again! How was that project in Arcadia going."

"Oh, it's progressing very nicely. It's still not done though."

"Well, keep it up." The waiter said before he moved on to another customer. Jonouchi soon came to his seat with three platefuls of food in his hands.

"Aww yeah! Time to chow down!" Jonouchi said with a grin. Julie stared dumbfounded at the blonde as he wolfed down the contents of his plate.

"He always eats like that." Atem explained plain and simple.

"Does he really?" Julie says, "He makes me think of my nephew!"

"Your nephew?" Jonouchi said with his mouth full.

"Honda Hiroto." Julie said, "He's not exactly related to me by blood, but to me, he's still family. His parents got killed in the New Years attack."

"Oh, I'm very sorry." Atem said.

"Don't worry about that." Julie said, "He's able to take care of himself. True, I worry a lot about him, but he always manages to come back safe and sound." She put a strange machine on top of the table. "He's the reason why I got interested in studying Nagi. He told me of his plan of equipping some gene tonics and a plasmid, but he didn't want to become a splicer in the process. Luckily, he is among those who tested positive for Nagi compatibility. Which reminds me…" She took out Atem's blood sample and placed it into the machine, pushing some buttons before some blue lights began to shine from with. "In order to explain Nagi compatibility, I must explain the very nature of Nagi itself. Nagi is basically pure stem cells secreted from the glands of a new breed of sea slug, dubbed the 'rapture slug'. Plasmids, and their passive gene tonic counterparts, are basically concentrated forms of Nagi. But no matter what form it took, the risk is the same. You see, Nagi acts like a benign form of Cancer, it destroys native cells and replaces them with unstable stem versions. This instability is what gives an individual its amazing properties and benefits, but it's also what causes the physical and mental damage to that same individual. Worse yet, the user would find himself in a vicious circle of addiction: the more Nagi you took, the more Nagi you would need to undo the damage. Those who overuse plasmids and gene tonics become psychotic and extremely aggressive, and that's how they become splicers. But Plasmunds are different from normal humans **and** splicers together. They have something in their genetic makeup that protects them from the negative side effects of Nagi, so they are able to use plasmids and gene tonics without suffering addiction or damage of any kind." When the machine made a noise that announced that the analysis was finished, Julie took out Atem's blood sample and smiled. "Ha, ha, Just as I suspected! Atem, your blood is indeed Nagi compatible! You are a true Plasmund!" Julie sighed once again as she inserted Jonouchi's blood sample. "Unfortunately, Plasmunds like you are very rare, even in Kyoki."

"I take it most of the citizens were **not** compatible with Nagi?" Atem said.

Julie nodded in confirmation and said, "Two powerhouses took advantage of this fact and actually created their own army of splicers to fight against each other, and thus led Kyoki to its downfall by starting the Kyoki Wars. One of those powerhouses is none other than Ryu Mutou, the very man who built Kyoki. At one time, he was a good man with a vision, but now he is a tyrant with an iron fist." Once again, the machine made a noise announcing that its analysis of Jonouchi's blood sample was complete. "Well, now that was quick." Julie said in surprise, carefully taking the blood sample out of the machine. She took one look at the results and her eyes widened in amazement. "Oh my…!"

"What's up Julie?" Jonouchi asked, curious about the results himself.

"Incredible! I never thought you would be--" Julie gasped in excitement.

"Be what?" Jonouchi said impatiently.

"…A Plasmund!" Upon hearing the scientist's words, Jonouchi's eyes also widened, and before he even realized it, Julie was shaking his hand enthusiastically. "Congratulations Jonouchi, you passed! You are officially Nagi compatible!"

"M-me?! I-I-I'm a Plasmund too?! Really?!" Jonouchi stuttered, "So does that mean I can use plasmids safely?"

"You got it Kid!" Julie said with a wink. Atem was smiling at this sudden turn of events, when he suddenly hears an anguished scream. Turning toward the source of the scream, he noticed of a woman slamming a door, crying uncontrollably. Since he could see right through her, a familiar chill raced down his spine. Another ghost was in his presence!

"Jonouchi! Look over there! It looks like there's a woman over by that door!" Atem gasped, pointing out in the direction of the door. Jonouchi looked, but then became angry again.

"Atem, there's no one there! Are you losing your mind?!" Jonouchi said.

"Nope, I don't think so." Julie said, and Jonouchi looked at the scientist in shock.

"What?! You too?!" Jonouchi shouted, "Aww man, is everyone going nuts around here?!" At this moment, most of the people in the buffet were looking at Atem as he approached the ghost woman.

"Did he see one of them?"

"Yep, sure looks like it."

"Maybe he could help it."

"What's going on over there?!" Jonouchi asked in exasperation.

"There's nothing wrong." Julie explained, "Like most Plasmunds and other users of Nagi, Atem is experiencing a certain side effect of Nagi that is actually quite positive: the ability to see ghosts and interact with them."

"G-g-g-**ghosts**?!" Jonouchi gasped in sudden terror.

"Hmmm, I take it your friend has had this kind of paranormal encounter before. Considering the fact that you haven't equipped any Nagi yet, it's no wonder you couldn't see or hear the souls of the dead." Julie said.

"AAAH, YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT!!" Jonouchi screamed, crying alligator tears in sheer terror. Meanwhile Atem slowly stepped over to the grieving ghost.

"Is there anything wrong, miss?" Atem asked sincerely.

Of course, the ghost woman didn't realize that he was right behind her, and she yelled, "You promised me beautiful, Dr. Steinman! You promised me beautiful!! Now look at me! LOOK AT ME!!" She turned around to reveal a horribly disfigured face, all cut up and distorted like a gruesome flesh rendition of a Picasso portrait, all twisted even more so with deep anguish. Atem let out a shout of horror when he saw that face, and the ghost woman gasped in shock, then covered up her face with her hands. "Oh God! Oh God!" she sobbed, "Who are you? Please, you mustn't see me like this!"

"It's all right! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!" Atem said, And once the ghost woman calmed down, he said calmly, "What happened to you? How did your face get this way?"

The ghost woman sniffed, wiping a tear. "It was Dr. Steinman's doing. He was a famous plastic surgeon that works in the Medical Pavilion. I set up an appointment with him, just to get a nose job. But… but…"

"Go on." Atem encouraged her, "What happened?"

"Well… Well look!" the ghost woman said, and she reached a hand out and touched Atem's forehead. There was a flash of light, and when it faded, he found himself in what looked like a hospital surgery wing. The scene that Atem witness reminded him of TV shows similar to Grey's Anatomy, where the surgeons were operating on a patient. From the look of the outfits that the surgeons wore, this surgery seemed to have taken place a few years ago. The lead surgeon, whom Atem assumed as Dr. Steinman, was working directly on the face of a woman. He immediately recognized the woman as the ghost woman with which he conversed, and Dr. Steinman was putting in stitches.

"Four o silk, aaand done!" Dr. Steinman announced. The assistant surgeon applauded.

"The nose looks terrific Dr. Steinman!" she praised, but then her smile faded when she saw him cup his chin. "Doctor?"

"You know," Dr. Steinman said, "Looking at it now… I didn't realize how much her face… _**sags**_!" He holds out a hand. "Scalpel!"

"Excuse me?" the assistant said incredulously.

"Scalpel!" Dr. Steinman repeated, shaking his hand impatiently until the assistant gave him the cutting tool.

"Uh Sir, she didn't come for a face lift--" the assistant tried to explain.

"Let's just come in here and…" before long, the surgeon started whistling, casually cutting the flesh of the woman's face and stretching it in a way that made Atem sick to his stomach.

"Doctor… stop cutting! Doctor, stop cutting!" the assistant insisted, but the surgeon ignored her, and she started to panic, especially when the heart monitor started growing erratic. She started running out of the operating room, shouting, "Get me the Chief of Surgery! Get me the Chief of Surgery, NOW!" Those were the last words Atem heard before a bright light once again filled his vision, and sent him back to the present.

The ghost woman was in front of him, sobbing like never before. "I didn't survive the unwanted part of my operation…" she whimpered. "That son of a bitch! He promised to make me beautiful! But instead… he ruined my looks! And he killed me in the process! HE KILLED ME, AND HE GOT AWAY WITH IT!!" Atem stared at her in utter shock.

"What happened Atem?" Jonouchi said and he and Julie went toward him. Atem slowly turned around, his body shaking.

"This… this ghost…" Atem stuttered, "She just showed me how she died!"

"Interacting with ghosts isn't the only quirk of being a Plasmund. They also have the ability to witness their memories." Julie explained, "The most common memories they choose to reveal are the moments right before their death. So with that in mind, how did this one die?"

Atem just looked around the buffet and shouted so everyone could hear, "Does anyone around here know of a Dr. Steinman?" The crowd who was watching them looked at each other in shock, and soon one waitress stepped up. Unlike most of the people in the buffet, her face was covered up with a mask.

"Who doesn't know about Dr. Steinman?" she said, "His infamy has already outlived his fame a long time ago." She then points over to a painting on display in the corner. It depicted a surgeon working on his patient, but in contrast to the overall work, the patient looked just like the asymmetrical cubic figures Picasso would paint. And it was screaming in horror. "See that painting over there? This was sadly based on many an actual experience. Dr. Steinman often sees himself as an artist rather than a surgeon, and he always has a rather unhealthy obsession with Picasso. The introduction of Nagi only heightened that obsession. Plastic surgeons like Steinman would use Nagi to make clay out of human flesh, allowing them to sculpt it in ways never thought possible. Ever since the Kyoki Wars began, Steinman has been applying his Picasso image to unwilling patients. Many of them died on the operating table, and those few who survived the ordeal…"--The waitress removed her mask to reveal a hideously disfigured face, streaming with tears--"…often wished they didn't."

"Oh Ra, that's awful!" Atem said in shock.

The waitress put her mask back on. "You're a Plasmund, right? If you ever come across Dr. Steinman in the Medical Pavilion, do us all a favor." She clenched her fist and said firmly, "Make him pay!"

Atem gave the woman a determined glare. Something in his heart told him that he wanted to help those people. "If that ever happens, I'll do just that. Where's the door that leads to the Medical Pavilion?"

It was the ghost woman who answered that question. "It's just past the hall beyond this door, believe it or not. Should you decide to hunt him down, I wish you and your friend the best of luck." With that, she stepped aside to another spot. Atem stepped over and touched the door. It opened, and a tunnel was revealed.

"Whoa…where does that lead to?" Jonouchi asked.

"That's road to the Medical Pavilion." Julie said, "If you boys are planning to go out there, just be careful when you do. Like the rest of Kyoki, splicers thrive in that area."

"Got it." Atem said with a single nod. "We'll keep that in mind."

Julie gave a satisfied smirk and said, "In any case, I'll be preparing for my trip back to Arcadia. You boys should get some rest so you can be ready for the upcoming battle. Hopefully it won't be long before I get to see you again."

"I guess that means we'll be heading off pretty soon, huh?" Jonouchi said to his friend, putting a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I believe so." Atem replied. "Let's take Julie's advice and spend the night at the hotel that is close by, then we'll head to the Medical Pavilion as soon as we wake up. No doubt Raiden will be waiting for us."

"Sounds like a good plan." Jonouchi said with a yawn.

"I'll buy your rooms for the night before I go, so you won't have to worry about payment." Julie said, "Good luck with your trip to the Pavilion tomorrow. You're going to need it."

"Thank you! We hope to see you again!" Atem said, as he and Jonouchi waved goodbye to the scientist.

"Bye Julie!" Jonouchi called out. "See you later!" Julie waved back and with a wink she left the buffet. Once Julie was out of sight, Jonouchi started running. "All right, let's go find our rooms and get some shuteye so we can kick some splicer butt tomorrow!"

"Jonouchi wait! We don't know a thing about this place, much less the location of our rooms!" Atem said running after his friend.

A waiter watched as the two teens ran, then said to a customer, "That one with the blonde hair, he sure has something in common with Ms. Langford's nephew."

The customer simply replied, "Just wait until they actually meet! No doubt they'll make good friends."

Note: The real adventure in the Medical Pavilion begins for our two heroes, and more characters make their appearance, starting with a mysterious hacker with an unknown agenda. Who could it be? Find out in the next chapter! Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

Note: Woo-hoo! Another update to my story! Stupid Writer's Block is weighing me down on Blue Eyes White Mermaid! I'm trying my best! Anyway, our heroes start their journey in the Medical Pavilion, and they get some unexpected help on the way! What will happen next? Read and find out, so enjoy!

**Chapter 7: The Medical Pavilion**

The next morning, Atem and Jonouchi were passing though the tunnel that served to separate the Asclepius Safehouse from the Medical Pavilion. When they finally reached the door, their hearts started beating quickly. "We're here Jonouchi." Atem said, "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jonouchi replied.

Atem nodded. "Let's go." he said. With that, he slowly pushed the door open. The Medical Pavilion was large, just like the hospital it was meant to be. But everywhere they looked, there were the signs of disrepair. Once again, the scent of death filled the nostrils of the two teens. Atem reactivated his Bolt plasmid, and the glowing veins made their return on his skin. Soon after, the Video Phone turned on again, announcing the arrival of a certain guide.

"You're finally here! It took you long enough." Raiden said. "Did you guys get a good rest?"

"Raiden!" Atem said. "We've been expecting you to contact us!"

"Be that as it may, let's find Emergency Access and head to Dragon King's Bounty from there." Raiden suggested.

"All right." Jonouchi said. "Lead the way."

"The door leading to Emergency Access is somewhere nearby." Raiden said, "Head to that door." The two teens nodded and made their entrance in the abandoned waiting room.

Jonouchi looked at the empty front desk. "Huh? Hey, Atem, there's another one of those machines lying around!"

"Ah, so you've noticed some of the video diaries." Raiden said.

"Video diaries?" Atem questioned curiously.

"You can record stuff on them," Raiden explained, "Many people in Kyoki use those machines as a kind of journal or diary, hence the name."

"I see." Atem said, picking up the video diary, and turned it on. On the screen, a familiar woman appeared. The two teens recognized her as Diane McClintock and they noticed that her face was covered in bandages, obscuring her face. She spoke.

"_**Dr. Steinman said he would release me today.**_" She let out a sigh. "_**Mutou didn't come to see me since the New Years attack, not once. And his son doesn't even know I'm here yet. But Dr. Steinman? He was very attentive. He told me that once the scar tissue was gone, he's going to fix me right up, make me prettier than any girl he's ever seen.**_" Diane made yet another sigh on the screen, and said, "_**He's sweet all right… and so interested in my case!**_" That was when the screen turned off, signaling that the entry was over.

Atem glared at the thought of that surgeon working on the woman on the screen. "Why that son of a bitch…" It was not long before a strange noise finally made its presence known, and the two teens looked up. There was a sliding door nearby, and wedged right in between it was a metal box with propellers like a helicopter. It was still working, and the propellers were moving about as if in a frantic panic.

"Hey! It's one of those robot things that chased off the Creepy Lady!" Jonouchi said, bending down to look at it.

"You're right!" Atem gasped, "And that door must lead to Emergency Access!" He looked at the machine struggling between the sliding doors. "But how do we get that thing out of the way?"

"A-_**HA**_! A security bot!" a loud voice suddenly announced, scaring Atem and Jonouchi. They turned around and saw a handsome young man jumping down from the balcony. The man had long spiky white hair, and sharp amber eyes, and he wore a blue and white striped shirt, and a black jacket with short sleeves. He also wore blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers, which were stained a bit with blood. There was a smirk on his face as he landed gracefully on his feet in front of the two teens. Whoever he was, he sure wasn't a splicer.

"Who are you?" Atem demanded. But the young man rushed toward him and pushed him and Jonouchi to the side.

"Step aside you two!" he declared, cracking his fingers, "This hacker means business!"

"Uh, hacker?" Jonouchi asked dumbly.

"Well, DUH!" the young man retorted, "Don't you know your computer stuff?!" He knelt down and his fingers were put to work rewiring the machine.

"A security bot…" Atem mused. "Is that what this thing is called?"

"You guessed it!" the young man said proudly. "By the way, the name's Bakura, and I'm a hacker extraordinaire! Machines are my specialty! Now if you'll excuse me…" He went back to work, but to the amazement of the two teens, it didn't take long before he was finished. Once he was done, the lights on the security bot started glowing green and it rose up from the ground. Bakura gave a satisfied smirk. "Another successful hack…" he then faced Atem and Jonouchi, who had backed away. "Hey, don't worry about it. This thing is on your side! It won't bite you!"

"Wait, you mean to say this bot is working for us?" Jonouchi said.

"Sure!" Bakura replied. "With all those splicers walking the streets, you're going to need all the help you can get!"

"But…how did you hack into that machine so quickly?" Atem asked.

"Heh, I got skill…" said Bakura as he lifted up a bottle filled with a yellow liquid, "And if that's not enough, I always have this Speedy Hacker gene tonic in handy!" When the two teens gawked in surprise, the hacker just smirked. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking, and you're right. I'm a genuine Plasmund. How else can I use this baby and still look as sexy as I am now?" This comment, no doubt, earned a sweatdrop from both onlookers. "Anyway, you don't happen to be heading to that door by any chance, do you?"

Atem let out a surprised gasp and said, "Why yes! It leads to Emergency Access!"

"Emergency Access, huh?" Bakura said with a bit of a knowing smirk, "Well, in that case do you mind if I hang out with you guys for a bit? I may come in handy in case any splicers would head your way."

Atem and Jonouchi stared at this albino hacker, before Raiden spoke up from the Video Phone. "Sounds like this guy knows his way around the Medical Pavilion. Guess it wouldn't hurt. Like they always say, the more the merrier."

"Okay we'll take your word for it." Jonouchi said. Bakura raised an eyebrow at the sound of Raiden's voice.

"That voice…" he said, "That's Raiden, isn't it?"

Atem looks up in astonishment. "You know him?!"

"Why of course! Almost everybody in Kyoki knows that man!" Bakura said. "Anyway, let's take our little trip to Emergency Access." Atem and Jonouchi could only give a nod in agreement, and soon the three of them went in. Upon entering the main hall of that place, they saw a female splicer jabbing her tongs on a corpse long dead.

"KEEP AWAY FROM MY PATIENTS!!" a loud voice echoed in the hall, grabbing the splicer's attention. Before long, another splicer, a male in a modern surgeon's garb, rushes into the scene and attacks with a machine gun. With a sharp cry of rage from the female splicer she does a bull rush of her own and the battle was on. Atem, Jonouchi and Bakura watched from behind the corner.

"Now this looks like fun!" Bakura said, licking his lips. "We get to take down the winner!"

"You seem to be enthusiastic about this, huh?" Jonouchi said in exasperation.

"What can I say? Sometimes I'd rather not dirty my hacking hands on a small fight like this, so I let the hazards of this place do the work for me."

"I suppose this is why you hack security bots, correct?" Atem queried.

Bakura nodded, but then frowned a bit. "The only problem is that some of those Goddamn splicers won't stay still long enough to be mortally wounded by their bullets." It wasn't long before the surgeon splicer killed his target, and as he made his way to the corpse, his glazed eyes landed on Atem and he stopped in his tracks.

"Guh! You! You filthy wretch! YOU'RE DISEASED!" the splicer then rushed toward the crimson eyed teen, ready to shoot him down with his machine gun.

"Watch out Atem!" Jonouchi shouted as the bullets started flying. But luckily, Atem was ready. He rolled out of the way and struck the splicer with his Bolt. Bakura grinned at the sight of the splicer paralyzed on the spot. He rushed out of his hiding spot.

"All right, security bot!" Bakura shouted confidently, "Take him down, and don't stop until he's dead!" The security bot, in response, sounded the alarm and flew over to the splicer. It shot its own bullets, killing the splicer in a bloody instant. Once he had fallen, Bakura shouted victoriously, "Woo-Hoo! Take that!" He then turned to face Atem with a smirk and said, "Not bad! Your Bolt plasmid could really come in handy! Too bad we can't stay together for this long. If you're heading to the nearest bathysphere in this place, head up the stairs and open the gate from there!"

"You heard him, Kids!" Raiden said, "The bathysphere leading to Dragon King's Bounty is close by! Let's open the gate and head on over there!"

"Got it Raiden!" Atem said with determination, although he had to admit, he didn't really want to go there yet, not with Dr. Steinman still at large. But he has no choice. "Let's go Jonouchi!" he said, running up the stairs.

"Okay!" Jonouchi said, following him.

"Good luck trying to travel in that bathysphere!" Bakura said grinning. _Even if the gate is open,_ _It's not like they'll be able to travel around Kyoki by that method anyway._ Meanwhile, the two teens have reached the top of the stairs and got a good view at the room below them. There was a kind of gateway below them, and by the looks of the fence-like door, it was closed.

"A locked gate…" Atem said, before looking at the switch, "Perhaps this switch would do the trick."

"After you, Buddy." Jonouchi said as Atem stepped toward the switch. Slowly, he took hold of the handle, before he pulled it down. Instead of an open gate, however, there was a red light filling the whole room, and a siren going off.

"_**Security lockdown activated. We are sorry for the inconvenience.**_"

"Oh SHIT!" Atem cursed in anger.

"So much for an easy access!" Jonouchi shouted. It wasn't long before some angry shouts were heard coming towards them. "Gyaa! Splicers!" Jonouchi shouted, raising his sword. Indeed, two female splicers in nurses outfits came rushing into the room, their deformed faces revealing bloodlust from behind their masks. "Take this you creeps!" he shouted, and with a mighty swing, he sliced both of the splicers in half.

"We have to get back to where we came in! C'mon!" Atem shouted and immediately, they ran back to the main hall of Emergency Access just in time to see Bakura using his security bot to shoot down another splicer.

"Well, looks like I get to hang out with you a little more after all!" he said with a grin of a maniac.

That was when Raiden appeared on the Video Phone once again. "Sound like in order to open that gate, you'll need to get Steinman's key."

"Steinman?!" Atem gasped, his eyes widening at the sound of the surgeon's name. "You mean Dr. Steinman?!"

"I guess you heard of him…" Raiden said, "In either case, don't expect him to give you that key out of a milk of human kindness: He's not that kind, and between you and me, I don't even think he's human."

"That I can agree on." Atem said. "I was planning to hunt him down anyway."

"Oh really!" Bakura said in interest. "In that case, I can open up the gate leading to the main hospital. Just follow me." Atem and Jonouchi did just that, taking another route that lead to a room with another switch, showing the main foyer in the window. "Okay, get your weapons ready… and with the flick of the switch…" Bakura pulled the small lever and the siren's went off before the gate at the top of the foyer opened. "We've rattled the monkey cage boys! Here they come!" And in a flash, a mob of splicers came running out of the door, screaming in rage and waving their weapons wildly.

"Another splicer horde?!" Jonouchi said in exasperation.

"I guess there's nothing we can do about it!" Atem said, taking up his metal pipe quarterstaff, "Get ready!" And with that the three young men ran to the main foyer, just as the mob was heading right toward them. Atem did a flip, and slammed the quarterstaff on one of the incoming splicers, then just as skillfully, he dispatched two more. Jonouchi charged into the melee with his sword in hand, hacking splicers as he went.

One tough looking female splicer tried to block the blonde's attack with a wrench, shouting, "Stop wasting my time, you monster!" With sharp nails on her other hand, she clawed Jonouchi on the cheeks. Jonouchi barely managed to dodge the onslaught, escaping with only a single small scratch that started bleeding.

"**You're** the one who's wasting **my** time, so shut your trap!" Jonouchi shouted, and swung his sword in a different direction, cutting off her head.

"Take 'em down my bot!" Bakura laughed, as his security bot shot down the multitudes of splicers, "Take 'em all down!" Eventually the horde's number dwindled significantly, and only the tougher splicers remained.

"I'll handle those beasts from here!" Atem shouted as he charged his body and quarterstaff with the electricity from his Bolt plasmid. "Stay back!" And with that, he leapt into the fray. He struck one splicer with an electrical flying kick, then shocked three others with a horizontal swing of his quarterstaff, and then finished off a fifth one with a backhand punch. At that moment, the last splicer of the mob, a male, came up from behind the crimson eyed youth and slashed him with a knife. He cried out in pain as blood spewed from the wound on his back.

"Atem!" Jonouchi shouted in worry. Atem recovered from the shock and glared. Immediately he released a bolt of lightning, then struck him down with his quarterstaff. The battle was over. The three young men surveyed the dead splicers before them, whose blood nearly covered the floor of the main foyer. Jonouchi ran to his friend. "Are you all right?"

Atem winced, clutching the back of his right shoulder. "Ugh, I'm fine."

Jonouchi just looked at the long scratch on his friend's back. "Well you don't look fine to me. That splicer got you bad."

"Don't worry about me." Atem said, "Since this Medical Pavilion **was** originally a hospital, we can find tons of First Aid kits to treat this wound. In the meantime, let's start our hunt for Dr. Steinman."

"Good idea." Raiden said, and the three young men rushed over into the hall leading to the first ward.

"Before we go any further, I have to mention this." Bakura said, "Most areas in Kyoki has several 'shops' that cater to different needs. The Medical Pavilion, for example, has a gym to help you keep in shape, dentists to check on your teeth, heck, they even have a funeral home that couldn't be found anywhere else in this city! And that's just for starters!"

"Whoa…" Jonouchi said, "Sounds like Kyoki's an even bigger place than we thought."

"If that's the case, how in the world are we going to find that damn surgeon?" Atem said, just as he opened the first main door.

"I think I have and idea." Raiden suggested, "If you want to find where he is, follow the blood." Atem and Jonouchi stared at the Video Phone in confusion, until they looked down on the floor. There was a strange message, all written in blood. _**Aesthetics is a moral imperative**_, the message said.

"Hey, lookie here!" Bakura said, "It's one of Steinman's quotes!" He suddenly pointed to the wall close by. "And there's another one not far away from here!"

Atem gasped in inspiration. "Of course! There could be other messages just like these two! If we take Raiden's advice and follow those blood messages, then we might just be able to find that cursed surgeon!"

"Well then what are we waiting for?!" Jonouchi shouted, "Let's head on over there!" So the three of them made their way into the hall, keeping an eye out for blood messages to follow. And they were not disappointed. They were getting closer to their target when Bakura suddenly let out a shout of excitement.

"Hey! You see those machines over there?" he said, pointing to a couple of rectangular box machines with gun attachments and red lights. "Those are turrets. If they get their eye on you, they'll shoot you down. Personally I'd hack into those babies and get 'em to work for us if they didn't attack me on sight."

"If you're that concerned," Raiden said to the albino, "Then Atem can use his Bolt to short circuit those turrets long enough for you to do your job."

"Great idea!" Bakura said enthusiastically, "Give 'em a good shock Atem!"

"Uh, right!" Atem said as he and Bakura stepped out in front of the machines. Just when the turrets were about to shoot, Atem unleashed a bolt of lightning, and they were disabled in an instant.

"Nice work! Now it's time for me to get busy before they reactivate!" Bakura said, and he set to work in a flash.

"Hey Atem, there's a First Aid kit close by!" Jonouchi said, "Let me get you fixed while we're at it." He took hold of the kit and he cleaned and bandaged the wound on Atem's back. Once that was done, Jonouchi treated his own cheek, applying a small band-aid. By then Bakura had finished hacking the turrets, and the red lights turned green.

"All right! They're working for us now!" Bakura said in triumph. Just then, one of the turrets began to move, and it started firing in a different direction. As it turns out, there was a splicer who had noticed the three young men and rushed in to attack them. To their relief, the turret made quick work of her. Bakura smirked at the result. "Heh, another job well done!"

"Good, let's continue our hunt!" Atem said, rushing over to the door leading to a tunnel. Jonouchi and Bakura followed, and as they traveled down the tunnel, they saw the High Definition TV screen close to their intended destination. On it was a man in a doctor's outfit, advertising his profession. As they figured out, it was none other than Dr. Steinman.

"I guess this must be where he hangs out." Jonouchi said. Atem looked over to the side and saw another tunnel through the glass.

"Look Jonouchi." Atem said, "There they are again!" Jonouchi looked and indeed saw that a Hunter following a Scavenger, which happened to be another little girl. This one had red hair woven into a pair of braids. What Atem and Jonouchi didn't notice was that Bakura also saw the pair on the other tunnel, and he licked his lips. _Seems like the fruit of those little Nagi factories are getting ripe for the picking._ He thought. They all continued to stare until the pair left their sight. "I still can't believe that a child like this would be forced to loot the dead." Atem said.

"Me neither." Jonouchi said, and the two teens turned to face the door ahead of them. "But in the meantime, we have an appointment with a surgical madman." Atem and Bakura gave a single nod before they made their approach. Upon entry, they came across a set of posters, showing faces in deep distortion. It was then that they heard a voice from behind the wall.

"Why do we have two eyes?" the voice lamented, "Is there a law that says we must? Two eyes, two ears, two arms, two legs, two breasts…"

Atem let out a quiet gasp and took up the Video Phone. "We found him Raiden."

"Good." Raiden said, "Let's give him what he deserves." The three teens slowly made their approach and saw Dr. Steinman, his surgeon's garb red with blood, on hands and knees working on another poster like it was some kind of map. Suddenly, he rose up and ran.

"I'm not finished!" he shouted, "I'M NOT FINISHED YET!"

"Get him!" Atem shouted, running after him. But Steinman lifted up what looked like a detonator the size and shape of a remote control, and he pushed the button… and the sign above him exploded and fell to the ground just as he went through the door, blocking the path. "ARGH! Damn it!" Atem roared in anger.

"Chin up Kid." Raiden said, "It doesn't matter what god you worship, they don't want you to give up." It was then that a loud noise entered the room, something that sounds like fireworks.

"Incoming!" Bakura shouted, and a grenade landed on the floor with a massive explosion. Luckily, the three young men managed to dodge out of the way. Jonouchi looked up in shock.

"There's a splicer throwing bombs at us!" he shouted. It was true. A male splicer was throwing explosives at the threesome from the balcony.

"I can hear those firebombs like it was the Chinese New Years celebration." Raiden said, "They're hard to come by these days, but if you get one of those Telekinesis plasmids, you can catch those explosives and throw it right back at his gob—or anything else that's in your way."

Atem nodded. "All right," he said to the other two, "Let's head back and search for a Telekinesis plasmid!"

"You got it Atem!" Jonouchi said, "When we get our hands on that thing, we'll show Steinman who's boss!" And immediately the three headed back to which they came.

Note: That's it for this chapter! In the next chapter, our heroes are put in a plasmid hunt, and they encounter more dark secrets about Kyoki. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Whew! It's hard work trying to think up a plot for Blue Eyes White Mermaid! It is taking shape though! On another note, I got another Plasmashock chapter finished! In their quest for the Telekinesis plasmid, Jonouchi gains a new power, and our heroes meet a new ally! Who is it? Read and find out!

**Chapter 8: Fire and Mind Over Matter**

Once they exited Steinman's 'Lair', the three young men started their discussion. "So where are we going to find this Telekinesis plasmid? It could be anywhere in this place!" Jonouchi said.

"Ask and you shall receive." Atem replied, pointing ahead of him.

"Huh?" Jonouchi said in confusion, before he followed his friend's finger to the wall in front of them. There on display was a poster showing a cool teenager in a leather jacket. He was pointing his finger upward, and above that finger were several items: a deck of cards flying in disarray, a cell phone, and a laptop computer. The poster had this caption written on the top: _**Use your mind to its fullest…**_ and on the bottom of the poster is: _**Telekinesis. Available now at Powerhouse Gym.**_ "Whoa, if that's not a clue, I don't know what is." Jonouchi mused.

"The only question is: Where exactly is this Powerhouse Gym?" Atem asked.

"I know!" Bakura said, "It's somewhere downstairs. If I remember correctly, it's close by a place called Dandy Dental."

"Lead the way then, Bakura!" Atem said. "The sooner we get to that plasmid, the better!" And so the threesome rushed downstairs.

"There's just one problem with that boys." Raiden said. "There's a possibility that the entrance downstairs is blocked."

"Relax Raiden!" Bakura said, "There's no lock I can't undo!" Once they got to the entrance though, they all stopped dead in their tracks. "Except… that!" Bakura said. For the whole door was blocked… with a big slab of ice.

"Aww Man!" Jonouchi groaned, "NOW what are we gonna do?!" Atem growled in frustration, before something caught his eye.

"Look you two!" he gasped, "There's a video diary stuck in that ice!" He bent down, and although he had a bit of difficulty at first, but he managed to pry the video diary out of the ice. Immediately, he turned it on. The screen showed a man with a mustache, with pipes right behind him.

"_**Steinman,**_" the man said on the camera, "_**I know that Medical Pavilion is your manor, but you might want to get this into your head. Ocean water is colder than a witch's tit. If you don't heat the pipes, the pipes freeze. And if the pipes freeze, the pipes burst--**_" No sooner than the man mentioned it than one pipe in the background did burst, surprising him with spewing water. "_**Gyaa! See?! Just like that! Now, I realize that you're a posh sort of fella, and I don't give a damn if you piss or go fishing. But once Kyoki starts leaking, this chick's not gonna stop! And then I'll be sure to tell Mutou he's got **__**you**__** to thank!**_" And with that, the entry was over.

"Hmm, I guess this is what happens when a leaky pipe is left like this." Jonouchi said, staring at the slab of ice.

"Let's try and find another way to Powerhouse Gym." Atem suggested, "I doubt this ice would melt any time soon."

* * *

Ryu Mutou stared intently at all the screens in front of him, his eyes scanning every detail in each one. _I cannot believe I let my guard down like this._ Mutou thought, _Now a couple of young parasites have crawled into my city from right behind my back!_ It wasn't long before his eyes laid on one of the screens, and they widened in slight shock. For once again, a certain pair of teenagers came into view. And it seems that they're not alone. It was enough to make Mutou glare.

* * *

At that very same moment, Raiden spoke. "Hey you guys!" he said with a hushed tone, "Hide quickly!"

Bakura looked up and gasped. "Whoa! You heard him! Get out of sight for a minute!" And soon he dragged Atem and Jonouchi into a corner. There was silence among the three young men, and they now heard mechanical sounds in one of the empty surgery rooms they had now entered. Atem was the first to peek out from behind the corner to see the source of that noise.

"Security cameras." Raiden said, identifying the machine in the wall, "I can hear those infernal things everywhere! In a sense, they're like Mutou's eyes and ears."

"So that's how Mutou knows we're here." Atem said, just as Jonouchi and Bakura peeked out.

"Personally, I prefer to hack into those things…" Bakura said, "But not this time. Too risky."

"If that camera's the eyes and ears of Ryu Mutou," Jonouchi said, "then I say we make this one blind and deaf!"

* * *

Mutou watched, as the youth with dirty blonde hair stepped out in front of the camera, picking up a wrench as he did so. Then with all his might, he threw the wrench right onto the camera, causing the screen to go all snowy, filling part of the room with white noise. He growled in anger. "Damn you!" he said. "If that's how it's gonna be, then it's time for me to take action!" He pushed the button, and in a flash, a microphone popped out from the desk, standing upright like an Oscar from its stand.

* * *

"Do you think this will lead downstairs to Powerhouse Gym?" Jonouchi asked, peering over the crawlspace in one corner. On the floor nearby, there was a kind of oil spill surrounding what was revealed to be a small room.

"There's only one way to find out." Atem said, "C'mon. Let's go check inside." And he bent down and crawled through the small square to the inside. Jonouchi followed in suit, with Bakura not far behind. Once inside, they checked every nook and cranny of the walls.

"Crud!" Jonouchi growled, "There's no door here either!"

"Maybe we haven't looked hard enough!" Bakura said.

Atem likewise let out a frustrated sigh. "I guess we have no choice. We'll have to look elsewhe—huh?" He stopped, looking down.

Jonouchi looked up from his search. "Hey, what's up Atem?" he asked in curiosity.

"Jonouchi, look!" Atem said, pointing, "There's something lying on the ground! It looks like a plasmid!" Indeed, there was a bottle filled with a red liquid lying on the ground, and Atem came closer to investigate.

"A plasmid?!" Bakura shouted, "You sure?"

"There's no doubt about it!" Jonouchi said, "But what kind is it? Is it Telekinesis?" Atem picked up the bottle and examined it.

"No." he said, "But it might be just as useful." Jonouchi inched closer and saw the label on the bottle: Blaze.

"Blaze?" Jonouchi asked, before he let out a gasp in realization. "Hold on a sec! That's the plasmid that let's you use fire, isn't it? We both saw that on the commercial when we first came to this city!"

"I wonder…" Raiden said, "Hey Jonouchi! Did you get your blood tested back at the Safehouse?"

"Uhh yeah." Jonouchi replied in confusion.

"What are the results?"

"Well… the results are… well, I'm a Plasmund!"

"Say what?!" Bakura blurted out in surprise. "You're kidding! I know Atem's a Plasmund, but **you**?!"

Raiden turned his attention to Atem soon after. "All right, I have an idea. Atem, would you kindly inject the Blaze plasmid into Jonouchi over there?"

Atem immediately took the bottle, and extracted the plasmid with a clean syringe. "Okay Raiden." He said, then before anyone could react, he grabbed hold of Jonouchi's arm.

"Yaah! Atem!" Jonouchi shouted, "You don't have to squeeze so hard!"

"Sorry!" Atem said, steadying his friend's arm until the palm was facing upward. Then he aimed the needle towards the wrist. "This is my only warning: Brace yourself." Jonouchi didn't even have the time to reply before Atem jabbed the needle.

"YAAAAAAHHHH!" screamed Jonouchi as his friend injected the Blaze plasmid into him. Once the syringe was taken out, he began to convulse in pain. His body was shaking, and as he looked upon himself, his skin on the back of his hand began to turn black, and where the black color appeared, glowing patches of red and orange covered it soon after. The patches seemed to cluster together like the hot coals they resemble, and in fact, there was the glow of fire in the cracks between. Soon, those patches began to spread downward, covering his arms. Jonouchi howled in pain as the firey patches covered the rest of his body, eventually reaching his cheeks and his forehead. Remarkably, it didn't burn his clothes. "It burns! It burns!" Jonouchi screamed.

"Calm down Jonouchi!" Atem said in an attempt to reassure him. When it became clear that it wasn't helping, he grabbed Jonouchi by the biceps and pinned him to the wall. To his astonishment, the blonde's hot coal skin didn't burn his hands; in fact, it felt comfortably warm to the touch. "Take a deep breath." Atem instructed, "Breathe slowly. Try to relax. I know it hurts, but the pain will go away in a minute." Jonouchi did just that, or at least he tried to. The only problem is, well, he fainted.

Suddenly, there was a noise echoing in the hallway, the sound of a microphone specifically. Atem felt a chill racing up his spine as a familiar voice started speaking. "_**Some parasites are wandering the streets!**_" Mutou's voice announced, "_**We start rebuilding our city, and the doubters have sent a couple of flies to spoil our ointment! One thousand Nagi for the man or woman who pins their wings!**_" In an instant, there were shouts and screams of bloodlust from outside the small room.

"Splicers!" Atem shouted in shock, and he started shaking a dazed Jonouchi. "Get a hold of yourself, Jonouchi! The splicers are coming!"

"Oi." Jonouchi muttered, clutching his head as he recovered from the resulting dizziness. Slowly he looked up. "I guess Raiden was right. First-time plasmid use really is a kick in the ass!"

"Well at least you got some fire at your fingertips!" Bakura said with a smirk. Just then, five splicers rushed over and started banging onto the windows.

"Get them! Get those parasites!" they bellowed.

"Jonouchi, we're surrounded! We've got to do something before they break in and kill us!" Atem shouted.

"Take them down with Blaze Jonouchi!" Raiden hollered on the Video Phone. Jonouchi quickly looked over his body, with the hot coal flesh, then started to panic a bit as he looked over the splicer attackers.

"Aw man, h-how do I use this thing?!" he stuttered.

"Just concentrate!" Raiden said, "Picture the fire forming in your hand! Aim it at the oil!" Jonouchi just stared at the Video Phone, before he finally looked at the oil spill.

"Hurry Jonouchi!" Atem hollered. The blonde lifted his hand in front of the spill, focusing hard. For some strange reason, he started picturing himself using a cigarette lighter, and he snapped his fingers idly. Imagine his utmost surprise when his snapping actually produced a fire!

"WHOA!" shouted Jonouchi as the fire made a landing on the oil, and it spread out of the room. The five attacking splicers were no doubt in its path, and they shrieked and howled as they were burned to a crisp. The three young men watched as the charred remains fell to the floor outside. Jonouchi looked at his hands, then back at the inferno he caused. "Did I really do **that**?!" His lips slowly curved into a smile. "Sweet!"

Raiden spoke up, interrupting the blonde's moment, "All roads in Kyoki lead to Mutou; the splicers, the Hunters, the Scavengers… he uses this chemical scent, 'pheromones' they call it, and makes them all dance to his tune."

"Pheromones?" Atem said.

"Hmm, from what I heard, pheromones are a kind of scent that attracts the opposite sex." Bakura mused.

"Hey, speaking of roads," Jonouchi said, "I was just thinking… maybe my new Blaze plasmid would be enough to melt all the ice blocking our path!"

Atem and Bakura looked up at the blonde in surprise, before Atem gave an excited smile. "That's it!" By then, the flames had died out, so he immediately rushed to the crawlspace to leave the room. "C'mon you guys! We're heading back down to that ice slab!"

"You got it!" Jonouchi said, practically diving into the crawlspace soon after his crimson-eyed friend made his exit.

"Wait for me!" shouted Bakura as he followed in suit.

* * *

It took them a while to get back to the door blocked by the slab of ice, but the three young men made it in record time and speed, practically skidding in front of their destination. Jonouchi's new Blaze plasmid glowed brightly with fire, echoing the blonde's excitement. "All right! Time to melt this iceberg!" Jonouchi said, and with his palm forward, he summoned up a fireball that struck the ice slab. The ice melted into a cold puddle of water, opening the very path it blocked. Jonouchi gave a triumphant laugh. "Take that, you big wall of ice!"

"Great Job Jonouchi!" Atem praised, "Now we can go in and find the Powerhouse Gym so we can pick up that Telekinesis plasmid!" Immediately the three young men made their entrance, and their search for the Gym began.

* * *

"We're almost at Dandy Dental you guys!" Bakura said, as he and the other two men approached the hall leading to the dental area. Suddenly, Atem's foot knocked on something, making a noise that grabbed his attention. Curious, he stopped.

"Did you find something?" Jonouchi said as his friend bent down to pick up the object. It was another video diary. Atem did not answer, but he pushed play. The screen showed a different man, handsome but intimidating, with long navy blue hair and black eyes seen under a pair of glasses, and he also seemed to be wearing a lab coat. For some reason he can't explain, Atem grew stiff at the sight of that man, who was obviously a scientist.

With a sigh of slight frustration, the scientist spoke. "_**Tenenbaum… and her daughter… sometimes I pity the little freaks. They have such tiny imaginations.**_" The camera shifts to another pair of scientist, both of whom are women, looking at large tanks full of a strange liquid. "_**They're content to sit there with their tanks of Nagi, tweaking and optimizing.**_" The screen shifts back to the male scientist. "_**Guess I need to create. Yes, Nagi **__**is**__** the canvas of genetic modification… but plasmids are the paint.**_" And with that the entry was over. Atem couldn't help but shudder a bit. _That man…_ he thought, _I swear I've never seen him before. So why? Why does he look so familiar to me? And why does he… __**scare**__ me so much?_

"Is something wrong Atem?" Jonouchi asked in concern, "You look like you've seen another ghost!" That was enough to snap Atem out of his horrified thought.

"Oh! Uh, it's nothing…" Atem quickly replied.

"There it is!" Bakura blurted out in triumph, "Dandy Dental! And look over there! There's Powerhouse Gym!" Suddenly, there was a very loud noise coming from the Gym.

"What was that?!" Jonouchi asked, and soon he grew worried. "Don't tell me there's another splicer waiting for us!"

"Either way, we need to go in there to get Telekinesis." Atem said calmly, "Get your weapons ready, just in case." So the three young men cautiously made their entrance into the Powerhouse Gym. The main office of the gym was just like what one would see on the surface, and behind two large windows there were two rooms each. One was a large basketball court, and the other was filled with exercise equipment. The noise, however, was coming from neither of those rooms, for they were both empty. But one thing's for sure: it was close by. Jonouchi looked over to the desk, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey look!" he said, "Another video diary! Exactly how many of those things are lying around this place?!" Nevertheless, he picked up the machine and took it with him. They started following the loud noise in the back when the blonde turned it on. Atem came in for a closer look at the screen, but once again, he felt icy chills racing up his spine with no explanation. For once again, there was that scientist. In the background, there was a noise just like the one they were hearing now.

"_**Clinical Trial, Lot #23, Dr. Suchong/Client Orichalcos Futuristics.**_" The scientist said, naming the entry and introducing himself at the same time. The screen shifts to an indoor tennis court, revealing the source of the sound: a person, throwing tennis balls seemingly with her mind. "_**Work on the Telekinesis plasmid is proceeding as well as we planned. Lifting the objects at a distance presents no problem. Moving the objects through space also presents no problem.**_" The camera zooms in on the figure as the tennis ball shoots at top speed out of the machine, and she catches the ball without even touching it. "_**It can't give you the ability to stop speeding bullets, contrary to the Matrix Trilogy mind you, but what it can do is give you the ability to catch and throw any other fast moving object with the power of your mind.**_" The screen shifts back to the scientist, now revealed to be Dr. Suchong. "_**So the problem is not with the plasmid itself, it's with the reaction time… Heh, heh, heh, I just got a new idea for a plasmid.**_" The screen became blank soon after. By that time, the three young men had reached the tennis court shown on the screen. And indeed, the tennis ball shooter was on.

"Huh?" Jonouchi suddenly questioned, and soon pointed out in front of him. "Who's that guy over there?"

"I don't know." Atem said, as he took a closer look. There, a short distance from the machine, was a young man, wearing a leather jacket and a white T-shirt underneath. He also had blue jeans held up with a black buckle, and plain brown leather boots, with the jeans reaching his ankles. His brown hair seemed like a buzz cut, except there was hair shaped like a flat unicorn horn with its tip pointing upward. Atem scanned the young man cautiously. "He doesn't look like a splicer." Indeed, the young man had the appearance of a normal teenager. His hazel brown eyes were glaring in concentration, staring down at the tennis ball machine like a cowboy in a shotgun duel. In a flash, a tennis ball blasted out of the machine, flying at top speed toward its target. To the astonishment of the witnesses, the young man simply lifted his left hand, stretched his palm outward, and the air around it started to ripple about. The tennis ball stopped in its tracks, spinning as it floated in midair.

"Whoa!" Jonouchi gasped in awe. "Did you see that?!"

"No doubt about it." Raiden said from the Video Phone, "That's the Telekinesis plasmid at work!" The young man with the unicorn hair immediately then used the same rippling force to throw the tennis ball outward. Then before it hit a wall, he took out a revolver and BANG! he shot the ball to smithereens.

As the remains of the tennis ball fell to the floor, there was a hint of sudden alertness in the young man's eyes, as if he had sensed the presence of the three onlookers. He was still at first, but suddenly, he pointed his gun right towards them, cocking it as he did so. "Who's there?!" he shouted with a glare. The other three had a look of shock written all over their faces.

"AUGH!! D-d-don't shoot!" Jonouchi panicked, waving his hands wildly, "We're not splicers! Honest!" The glare vanished from the face of the unicorn haired man, replaced with a small look of surprise.

"You stupid parasites! Prepare to be exterminated!" screeched and unnatural female voice seemingly from a short distance. Atem's turned around, lifted his quarterstaff and got into a fighter's stance.

"What's going on?" Bakura questioned curiously. The unicorn haired man looked beyond the other three young men, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Stay back!" he shouted, running at top speed. The other three dashed out of the way as the unicorn haired man dove headfirst right into the glass window, shattering it on contact. At that very same moment, a grenade flew out of nowhere right in front of the group. Luckily the young man, who had landed on one knee without a scratch, caught the grenade with his Telekinesis. With a loud battle shout, he launched the grenade back at its source. The splicer fell out of the shadows, dead. "URGH! Stupid dynamite splicers!" the young man growled in frustration as he stood up. "If this keeps up, I'll never meet up with Aunt Julie!"

"Julie?" Atem gasped in astonishment, "As in Julie Langford?!"

The young man turns to him in surprise. "You know her?!" he asks.

"Of course we know her!" Jonouchi replies, "My friend and I met her at the safehouse on the way to this place, and she really helped us out! So… I take it that you're her nephew."

The unicorn haired man lowered his gun. "That's right. I'm Honda Hiroto. I have to admit, even I know a group of fellow Plasmunds when I see them. And since you're friends with my Aunt, I guess that means you're trustworthy."

"So that's good, right?" Jonouchi said, "Well, in that case…" he reached out and shook Honda's hand. "My name is Jonouchi Katsuya."

"Heh, I'm Bakura." Bakura said with a smirk, pointing to himself with his thumb.

"And I'm Atem Kakita." Atem said with a small smile.

"Pleasure to meet you." Honda said. Then he gave Atem a puzzled look. "Although… you remind me of someone I know…"

Now it was Atem that looked confused. "Your Aunt just told me the exact same thing. What exactly are you talking about?"

Before he could get an answer, though, Raiden once again made his appearance. "Never mind about that." He said, "In order to get Dr. Steinman in our grasp, we are going to need that Honda guy's help! He does possess the Telekinesis plasmid after all." After a moment, Honda's eyes widened.

"Raiden?!" he gasped, and did a small double take. "That's… **the** Raiden?! No way! I've always wanted to meet up with him at least once!"

"I told you everyone knows him." Bakura whispered to Atem.

"Well, be that as it may," Raiden continued impatiently, "Honda, there's some debris blocking the entrance to the surgery wing where Dr. Steinman works. Do you mind giving us a hand in clearing it?"

"Sure!" Honda replied, "But why are you wanting to see that creep?"

"Let's just say that he's got a key to a place we need to go." Atem replied, "But more significantly, we have some grievances to avenge."

Honda's eyes widened, before a serious look appeared on his face. "I see. Well, it's about time someone decided to take down that mad doctor. Let me help you out! I'll do more than just get rid of an obstacle."

"Thanks Honda!" Jonouchi said with a grin. "We could use all the help we could get!" As the other started heading on out though, Honda stopped them.

"Wait! There's one more thing I need to do!" he took out a syringe with a smooth blue liquid inside. "Atem, give me your arm."

"Huh?" Atem asked as he held his arm out, "How come?"

"Trust me." Honda replied, and he carefully stuck the needle in the wrist of the crimson-eyed youth. Atem let out a small gasp of pain as the substance inside the syringe was injected into him. No sooner than the syringe was taken out that the wound on his back began to seal itself closed. Honda removed the bandage, revealing that Atem's back was fully healed, with no sign of a scar.

"Whoa! That was incredible!" Jonouchi gasped. "What was that stuff that healed him?"

"It's a Nami serum." Honda replied, "It acts as a restoring agent for those who use Nagi."

"Nagi and Nami…." Atem mused, "I think it makes plenty of sense. They go together like the god and goddess they're named after: Izanagi and Izanami."

"Exactly!" Honda said with a smirk. "Now let's go to Dr. Steinman's lair as soon as we give Jonouchi some treatment." The rest nodded in agreement.

Note: In the next chapter, the showdown with the mad surgeon Dr. Steinman is on! While you're at it, check out the first chapter of my new story if you haven't done so already! Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Well, here's the new chapter of Plasmashock! The battle between our heroes and Dr. Steinman is about to commence! Who will be victorious? Enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 9: A Surgeon's Delusion**

Once Jonouchi was healed, the four young men hurried up toward the tunnel leading to Dr. Steinman's surgical wing. Just before they even went in, though, Bakura suddenly went in another direction. "Hey, Bakura, where are you going?" Jonouchi asked in surprise.

"Who me?" Bakura said, "Oh, my work here is done for now. You guys are on your own from here!"

"Bakura, wait!" Atem shouted, but the albino had already made a leap over the stairwell and disappeared.

"Let him go for a while Atem." Raiden said, "Right now we've got some business to settle."

"Got it Raiden." Atem replied, and turned to Jonouchi and Honda. "You heard him! Let's take down Dr. Steinman!"

"Right!" they both said. And with that, they made their entrance into the tunnel. They were preparing their weapons midway when out of nowhere, a whale call sounded forth. They stopped immediately.

"Did you hear that?" Honda said.

"Yeah," Atem replied, "it sounds like a humpback whale." Another whale call followed, this time with the sound of heavy footsteps. Honda frowned.

"It's no whale." he said, "A Big Daddy's nearby. No doubt it's looking for a Scavenger to guard."

Jonouchi gave a look of panic. "A-a-a Hunter?!"

"Relax." Honda reassured, "Like all Hunters, this Big Daddy will attack only if he's provoked. If you try to harm it or the Scavenger it guards, they won't stop until you're dead."

"Sooo I guess we shouldn't get on his bad side, right?" Jonouchi said.

"For lack of a better warning, yes." Honda said. He stared ahead of the gate ahead. "However, there are times when you need to confront these giants."

"And for what reason?" Atem asked.

"To harvest some Nagi." Honda replied, and he frowned as though with heartache. "I never harvest Nagi myself though. I saw someone else do it once; it not only creeped me out, it broke my heart as well." He shut his eyes and shook his head quickly, stray tears flowing down his cheeks. Then he opened his eyes, a serious look once again crossing his face. "Anyway, let's get our little appointment with that Picasso Surgeon." Atem and Jonouchi stared in confusion, but they put it aside and nodded. They headed to the door at the other side of the tunnel, and upon entering the sound of grenades filled their ears like fireworks. "Whoa!" Honda shouted as he dodged a grenade thrown by a splicer, "Is this the place that got blocked off?!"

"This is it!" Atem said, pointing to the door where he and Jonouchi saw Dr. Steinman flee. "And there's the debris over there!"

"All right then, I'll handle this!" Honda said and he rushed over. The splicer, noticing the unicorn haired man, threw yet another grenade to destroy him.

"Die already parasite!" the splicer roared. Honda immediately dodged the explosion aimed at him, and he glared.

"You dynamite splicers just won't give up, will ya?" he shouted. He quickly look at the debris blocking the door. _I can't lift all this trash with that splicer attacking me,_ he thought, _so maybe I can use his firepower to blast the whole thing altogether!_ Right on cue, the dynamite splicer threw yet another grenade. Quickly, Honda used his Telekinesis to catch the firebomb. Then he threw it right on debris, destroying the roadblock in seconds. The splicer became angry and threw another grenade in the mix, but once again Honda caught it with his Telekinesis. This time though, he threw it right back at the splicer, who let out a scream as the explosion killed him. "All right! It's all clear!" Honda shouted.

"Good shot, Honda!" Atem praised. "Now let's head on in there!" With that, the three friends rushed through the door. However, it was not long before they were met with a horrible sight. The scent of death and blood was even more potent, and sitting on a wheelchair was the corpse of a woman, whose body was out of proportion and whose face was slashed and stretched into something unnatural. It appeared to be a fresh kill, and it still had a look of horror etched on its face.

"Oh my God!" Honda gasped in shock.

"That Dr. Steinman is sick!" Jonouchi said, "He operates on 'em while they're still awake."

"How low can he go?" Atem muttered, but then he looked by the corpse. There was a video diary hanging nearby. Atem stepped over and picked it up, turning it on to show his curious friends. On the screen was a surgeon that they all recognized as Dr. Steinman.

"_**Today I had lunch with the goddess!**_" he sighed merrily, "_**'Steinman,' she said, 'I am here to free you from the tyranny of the commonplace! I am here to show you… a **__**new kind of beauty**__**!'**_

_**I asked her, 'What do you mean Goddess?' **_

'_**Symmetry**__**, dear Steinman. It is time we do something about **__**symmetry**__**!'**_" The video proved to be short, but the entry was very disturbing.

"I suppose that answers my question." Atem said in disgust.

"NO GODDESS! HE'LL RUIN EVERYTHING!" a mad voice screeched suddenly from the corner. The three friends rushed over to investigate, and found a male splicer chasing after a surgeon in a bloody garb. It was Dr. Steinman.

"Come over here and fight like a real man, you quack!" the splicer threatened as the surgeon ran. Steinman stopped and then pointed at the splicer.

"GET HIM!" he roared, "SLAY THAT HARPY, TEAR HIM TO BITS!!" In answer to his command, a security bot flew into view, and Steinman ran off again before a turret made its first attack. After a direct hit on the splicer, the security bot finished him off. Once the splicer was dead, it was about to fly away when it suddenly detected the three friends, who had witnessed the whole thing!

"YAAHH, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Jonouchi hollered in warning as the security bot started shooting. Luckily, Atem and Honda didn't have to be told twice. Just in time, they all dodged the bullets, in a rather literal sense. Then Honda took out his revolver and fired at the security bot, destroying it with a full clip of bullets. The turret ahead of the team started shooting its own bullets though, and Honda barely had the time to move out of harm's way.

"We'll handle this one Honda!" Atem shouted, and he shot out an electrical charge with his Bolt. The turret short-circuited immediately. "Take it down Jonouchi!"

"You got it!" Jonouchi replied, raising his sword. Through his Blaze plasmid, the blade of the sword burst into flames. He made a jump toward the malfunctioning turret before him. With a great battle cry, he sliced the machine in two, which exploded on impact thanks to the flaming sword. Luckily for Jonouchi, the Blaze plasmid made him impervious to fire, and he emerged from the firey blast unharmed. "Whew, that takes care of **that** thing."

Atem and Honda rushed forward to join with their friend. "Are you all right Jonouchi?" Atem asked.

"I've never felt better, Atem!" Jonouchi said with a playful smirk, then he turned serious once again. "Right now though, we'll have to catch up with Steinman!"

"Oh yeah, right!" Honda said, "Let's go!" So the three friends rushed down the hall towards the main operating room. They were almost there when, as they passed, a video diary fell from a shelf and clattered onto the floor. Atem quickly turned around, as did Honda and Jonouchi.

"Another one?!" Jonouchi said, "Those things must really be popular! What does this one have to say?"

"Let's find out." Honda said, and he turned the video diary on. Much to their disturbance, it was another entry made by Dr. Steinman himself.

"_**Venus is walking the halls,**_" he said dreamily, "_**shimmering, like a scalpel! 'Steinman!' she calls, 'Steinman, I have what you are looking for! Just open your eyes!' And when I see her, she cuts me into a thousand beautiful pieces!**_" The whole time, the mad doctor was gesturing like he was in a Shakespeare play, trying to convey his admiration to the goddess he adored. He looked rather silly doing so, but even that did not lighten the disturbing aura.

"Pathetic." Atem said when the entry was over, "The real Venus may have approved of Picasso's visions on the canvas, but I highly doubt that she approves of Steinman's application of these visions on living creatures."

"Tell me about it." Honda agreed, "The abstract form is art when it's applied to painting and sculpture. But if it's applied to the actual human body, **that** is **mutilation**!"

"Well what are we waiting for?" Jonouchi piped up, "Let go and kick some butt!" And so they continued onward. It was not long before the reached the doorway leading to the main operating room. A scream of pain and horror managed to break through the barrier, traveling through the air around the three friends. The scream was quickly dying down to a choking moan, and some coughing.

"Mother of Ra!" Atem said in a hushed tone, filled with a sense of fear. "It can't be what I think it is, can it?" Jonouchi and Honda likewise gave a gasp of shock, and followed behind Atem as he went through the door. They quietly approached a large window, and from behind that window, their worst fears were confirmed. Dr. Steinman was cutting up a woman with his scalpel. She was bleeding and horribly disfigured. Worst of all, she was wide awake while the operation was taking place; even so, it was evident that she was dying. The three friends watched unseen as the surgeon lifted the scalpel away.

"What can I do with this one, Venus?" Dr. Steinman queried to no one in particular, And then to the horror of the onlookers, he started hacking on the body shrieking, "SHE WON'T—STAY—STILL!!" He lifted the head up, continuing his rant. "I want to make them beautiful,"—he slashed the woman's body, hard—"BUT THEY ALWAYS TURN OUT WRONG!" Turning away from the 'patient', he turned on the light to reveal one by one, the bodies of other female patients long dead, all sprawled out on a large disk like they were crucified. "This one, too FAT!" he shouted as he showed the first one on the right hand side. And when the next one was revealed on the left-hand side, he roared in despair, "This one, TOO TALL!" Finally the third disk was revealed at the center, revealing to be empty. "And now THIS ONE!" He bellowed in anguish, grabbing the woman on the operating table, lifting her off, slamming her on the disk, and pinning her there in a crucifix position with a cry, "TOO **SYMMETRICAL**!!" By then, the woman stopped moving. And for that matter, she stopped breathing. The Picasso surgeon let out a tired breath as he finally calmed down. "Oh well," he sighed, "as they always say: Back to the old drawing board!" At first, the three friends stared in confusion as the surgeon momentarily stepped to the side. But then a scream came from the side—a feminine scream of anger that was mixed with horror. When Dr. Steinman returned to view, he returned with his next 'patient': a beautiful woman with light blonde hair and violet eyes. She had white tank top and a violet vest, and on her arms were sleeves that were not attached to any shirt. She also wore a violet miniskirt made of leather, and violet leather high heeled boots that reached to her knees. The woman had a look on her lovely face that is both horrified and pissed at the same time, and she struggled to get free from Dr. Steinman's grip. But the surgeon slammed her onto the operating table, pinning her down with one arm.

"Let go of me you… YOU BEAST!" She roared in anger, flailing her arm in an attempt to push him away.

"Well, who's calling who a beast?!" Dr. Steinman retorted, shoving her arm onto the operating table. "But don't worry. When I'm done with you, you'll be the fairest of all the women in Kyoki!"

"No! Let go! Help!" she shouted as Steinman took his scalpel and aimed it toward the woman's cheek.

"Why that no-good…" Jonouchi growled as his rage began to build up until finally he said, "This ends now!"

"Jonouchi, wait!" Atem shouted as his friend ran toward the window.

But the blonde was not listening, and his hot coal skin glowed like the raging fire it represented as he roared with all al his might, "HEY! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HER RIGHT NOW!"

Dr. Steinman suddenly stopped what he was doing. "What's this, Goddess?" He looked up and saw all three friends at the window and recoiled in shock. "GAH! Intruders?! Oh the HUMANITY! They are ugly!" To the horror of the three friends in front of him, Steinman's very words turned towards the ironic as his right forearm suddenly started to bulge. "UGLY—**UGLY**--" A hole burst open from that tumor-like bulge, and his arm turned inside out, morphing into a chaingun with a still functional hand underneath. And as he aimed his new arm gun he let out the raging cry, "_**AAALL UUUUGLYYYY**_!!" That's when he fired at the window. Jonouchi's eyes widened in shock, and he started doing the 'ACK!' dance just to dodge all those bullets.

"So much for a sneak attack!" Honda shouted.

Steinman, enraged at the fact that his arm gun kept missing, gave the young woman a shove. "I'LL DEAL WITH YOU LATER!" The woman let out a shriek as she fell off the operating table onto the floor. Jonouchi heard her cry loud and clear, however. He let out a gasp at Steinman's cruel act, and he glared at the surgeon, his initial panic forgotten. The Blaze plasmid that marked his skin once again glowed with the flames of righteous anger, and he raised his sword.

"How dare you touch her like that, and just like you did with all the other people you worked on!" Jonouchi roared, "You're not gonna get away with it this time!" With a great battle cry, he leapt through the now broken window, his sword surrounded by flames. "TAKE THIS!" And he swung his blade, striking the Picasso surgeon on the arm. It was a small flesh wound, but the attack was enough for Steinman's shirt to catch fire. The surgeon let out a scream and ran quickly to the lower level of his lair.

"Don't let him get away!" Atem shouted, as he and Honda rushed inside. Jonouchi ran ahead in hot pursuit of his target.

"Come back so I can turn you into fried chicken!" Jonouchi bellowed as he rushed in hot pursuit of Steinman. The lower level of the room was filled with water, and Steinman jumps in and douses the flames before it could spread any further.

"HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT MY SURGERY YOU HORRID MONSTER!" Steinman shouted, and he starts shooting again. The bullets hit Jonouchi on the side of the stomach, and the blonde let out a small scream of pain.

"Jonouchi!" Atem hollered in shock.

"UGH!" Jonouchi said, clutching his stomach, "Atem! Steinman's in the water! This is your chance!" Atem let out a gasp, realizing that his friend was right. The electricity surged through his body, and quickly he aimed his Bolt on the water.

"Huh?" Steinman said, looking up from his previous target. Right at that moment, Atem's Bolt plasmid struck the water. But just as the electricity was about to reach him, Steinman leapt out of the water onto a large box above!

"He dodged my attack!" Atem said in dismay.

"HA! IS THAT ALL YOU GOT, YOU HARPY?!" Steinman hollered triumphantly before he started shooting again. "IT WON'T WORK ON ME!"

Honda immediately used Telekinesis to grab hold of a fuel tank. "Oh yeah?" he said, "Well maybe **this** will!" And he hurled it at Steinman, causing an explosion on impact. Luckily all three friends were out of blast range. It wasn't until the explosion faded into smoke that Honda looked up. Imagine their horror when, after three seconds, Steinman launched himself out of the smoke and landed right on top of the Telekinesis wielder, murder in his eyes. Soon they were locked in a grapple.

"LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!" Steinman shrieked. "YOU'RE HIDEOUS!"

"You got this—all backwards…" Honda hissed in growing anger, "…And you really should—lie down! You look TERRIBLE!" Using all of his strength, he shoved the surgeon off, and then started shooting with his own pistol. Of course, Steinman started shooting back with his arm gun. The gunfight began to escalate, and it wasn't long before Steinman was gaining the advantage.

"Shit!" Jonouchi shouted, "If we don't do something, he'll not only kill us, he'll kill that woman too!"

At that moment Raiden spoke up from the Video Phone. "Great Buddha, Atem! My family's lives are at stake! Would you courteously hurry up and take care of that sick bastard of a surgeon?!" No sooner than he finished, that Atem began to feel rage building up within him. The rage slowly grew, along with tremendous strength. The Bolt plasmid began to flicker on his skin.

"Atem?" Jonouchi said worriedly, "What's up?" Atem began to look around. Then his eyes widened with inspiration.

"We **can** take him down!" Atem said.

"Atem! Wait--" Jonouchi shouted, but the crimson-eyed youth had already rushed over toward the gunfight.

"Honda! Pull back!" Atem roared, surprising Honda.

"Atem, get out of the way! It's dangerous!" Honda shouted.

"Just trust me on this one!" Atem said and spun his quarterstaff pipe to knock Steinman's bullets out of harm's way.

"WHAT?!" Steinman gasped, and his own fury began to surface. "WHY YOU--" The surgeon started shooting at Atem, but he just knocked every bullet out of the way. Then he nimbly rushed away to the stairs leading up to the main operating room. "COME BACK HERE!" Steinman bellowed as he ran in hot pursuit, shooting his arm gun the whole time.

"Crud, has Atem gone mad?!" Honda asked.

"I don't think so!" Jonouchi suddenly replied, pointing upward, "Look!" And Honda did look. He let out a gasp as Atem's actions suddenly made sense!

"HOLD STILL SO I CAN SHOOT YOU DOWN YOU HARPY!" Steinman bellowed, shooting wildly. All the while, Atem dodged and blocked his attacks, moving a bit farther away. This infuriated Steinman even more and he rushed closer, stopping to shoot yet again.

"NOW JONOUCHI!" Atem commanded, and the sandy blonde nodded in understanding. He concentrated hard, and channeled the fires of the Blaze plasmid into his sword. Then with a battle cry, he swung the flaming sword down to the ground. A wall of fire traveled from the blade toward Steinman. The mad surgeon looked behind him, then suddenly looked down on the ground, then back up at the flames again, this time with a look of utter fear. For he was standing right on top of an oil spill, and he had realized this too late! The oil spill burst into flame, and Steinman screamed as he caught on fire. He rushed all the way back down to the lower level to dive into the water.

"Talk about stupid!" Jonouchi said to Honda, "He's on fire for the second time and he still doesn't do the Stop, Drop and Roll!"

"That's a splicer for ya!" Honda replied. Meanwhile, Atem rushed back too, fueled by his own rage. A huge ball of electricity began to form between his hands, filling with incredible strength and power. By the time Dr. Steinman had finished dousing the fire, the ball of electricity had reached its full size.

"PLASMA BOLT!" Atem shouted as he hurled the ball of electricity toward the surgeon. It landed right in front of Steinman on to the water, and this time he could not escape. Lightning bolts were dancing upon the water, and the surgeon let out a bloodcurdling scream as he was being electrocuted. Finally he collapsed on his hands and knees as the electricity died down. Atem's rage died down as well, and he was breathing heavily. For a while, the three friends stared at him. Then to their shock, Steinman slowly rose up. He had patches of scorched flesh, and he was staggering like a zombie as he walked. He let out a wicked chuckle, which slowly grew into mad laughter.

"You think you can destroy me that easily?!" taunted Steinman, "I'M INVINCIBLE! Just you wait! I'll tear you disgusting creatures to bits, and I'll wipe you off of the face of the earth!" As he had just gotten close enough to reach out and touch them, a strange noise echoed behind him.

"Funny you should say that." A familiar feminine voice said. Steinman slowly turned around to look behind him, while the three friends gasped in surprise. It was that woman in violet, the same young woman who they were trying to save. And in her hand was a handheld crossbow. "I was going to take those words right out of your mouth." And with that, she pulled the trigger. The crossbow bolt pierced the mad surgeon in between the eyes, and with blood spurting out he fell to the ground, dead. Only then did the three friends step forward, as the woman put her crossbow away.

"Are you all right Miss?" Jonouchi asked in concern. The woman gave him a smile.

"Well, if you guys hadn't shown up, I'd be dead!" she replied, "You really saved me back there!"

"Heh, heh, heh, glad we could help." Jonouchi said, grinning sheepishly in spite of the pain.

"I don't suppose we've met before. I'm Mai Kujaku." The woman introduced. "And you are…?"

"Honda Hiroto." Honda said.

"Honda?" Mai questioned, then she gave a look of surprise, "Oh, so **you're** the adoptive nephew of Dr. Julie Langford, right?"

"Yeah, I'm the one." Honda admitted.

"Anyway, My name's Jonouchi Katsuya." Jonouchi said, "My friend and I came from the surface, just so you know."

"My name is Atem. Atem Kakita." Atem said.

"Nice to meet you." Mai said, shaking his hand. Her eyes soon had a look of confusion. "It's kinda strange, really. You look so…"

"What?" Atem asked.

"Familiar." She replied. Before Atem could ask any questions, though, Raiden appeared on the Video Phone.

"Are you guys all right?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, Raiden." Atem said, "We got him. With a little help, of course."

"It's about time." Raiden sighed, "In any case, get the key to Emergency Access so we can head to Dragon King's Bounty."

"Raiden?!" Mai gasped in amazement as Atem bent down to search Steinman's body, "Oh my God! So this is the Raiden everyone was talking about!" It wasn't long before Atem finally found the key, which took the form of something similar to a credit card.

"Found it." Atem confirmed.

"All right!" Jonouchi said, "Let's head on over and—UGH!" To everyone's shock, he slumped on to his knees, still clutching the bleeding wound on his side.

"Jonouchi!" Honda shouted, taking hold of his friend and examining the wound. "Not good. At your level, it's going to take more than just a Nami serum to treat this injury. Luckily I picked up some First Aid kits just in case. Try not to move, it'll take a few minutes."

"But what about Emergency Access?" Jonouchi said.

"Try not to talk for a moment." Mai said, "After risking your life to save mine, you need treatment."

"Mai's right, Jonouchi." Atem said, "It would be a bad idea for you to go to Emergency Access in your condition." Seeing his friend's look of disappointment, Atem said, "I'll tell you what. I'll go on ahead of you and open access to the bathysphere that leads to Dragon King's Bounty."

"Say what?!" Jonouchi said, "Y-you can't go out there alone!"

"I'll be just fine." Atem said, "Now meet me at Emergency Access once you're healed."

"Sounds like a good plan, Atem." Raiden agreed, "Oh, and take Honda and Mai with you too." There was a slight pause, before Jonouchi let out a sigh of defeat.

"Okay." He replied, "Just be careful out there, buddy."

"I will." Atem said, and with that he left the main operating room, leaving the blonde in the care of their new comrades.

Note: That's it for this chapter! Now things are getting exciting, since Mai has joined our group of heroes! In the next chapter, Atem is about to find himself in a moral dilemma. What will be his decision? Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10

Note: While I think up the plot for my newest chapter for Blue Eyes White Mermaid, I'll have another chapter added to this story! Two new characters appear in this chapter; one will give some unexpected aid, and one will join Atem and his team. Enjoy!

**Chapter 10: A Moral Dilemma**

Atem ran back to the tunnel entrance as fast as his legs could carry him. Just as he reached the door, however, there was a rumbling noise from far behind it. "What the?!" Atem shouted and he immediately went through the door. On the other side of the tunnel, the door was bursting with ocean water, rendering it inaccessible. "Damn!" he cursed as he took out the Video Phone, "Raiden, I can't go through!"

"Hmph, looks like yet **another** tunnel collapse." Raiden replied in disgust. "Welcome to Kyoki, the world's fastest growing trash pit." Suddenly, Atem felt a sharp pain in his head. As he clutched it, images began to swirl through… Flashbacks of meeting Jonouchi at the airport, of receiving the strange gift, of his conversation with the sandy blonde. Then the images cleared up a quickly as it came. He lifted up his head. _What was that all about?!_ He thought. When no answer came, he quickly shook his head to rid himself of the weirdness. Then he looked over at the Video Phone once again.

"Is there another way out of this tunnel?" he asked.

"Luckily, yes." Raiden replied, "There's another small tunnel to the side of this one. Head to that tunnel." Atem gave a single nod, and immediately rushed over to that tunnel. Upon entering that tunnel, he heard a loud noise. It sounded like a great battle, and it wasn't long before he caught a horrible stench in the distance. A loud whale call blasted through, and the ground shook with heavy footsteps. There was no doubt about it: a Hunter is nearby, and taking part in what sounds like an intense fight! As Atem came closer, that Hunter burst through a glass window and crashed to the ground, its body covered in fire. The action was followed by the scream of a little girl. Startled Atem crept over to the corner of the window. There, on the other side, was a small little girl, crying over the loss of her bodyguard. His eyes widened in amazement.

"That girl…!" he gasped, recognizing her immediately. It was the same little Asian girl he saw at the Kashmir Restaurant, the Scavenger he saw with Jonouchi! It was not long before he heard a gasp from the Video Phone.

"It's a Scavenger!" Raiden gasped, "Atem! Here's your chance to get some Nagi!"

"Huh?" Atem said, "There's Nagi here?"

"That's right, and it's waiting to be harvested!" Raiden replied.

"But I don't want any Nagi!" Atem protested.

"I know that," Raiden said, "but you're going to need it in order to survive the dangers of this place!"

"Okay, then how do I harvest the Nagi?" Atem asked, growing impatient.

"Do you remember me telling you that the Scavengers carry Nagi?"

"Of course I do!" Atem said.

"Then let me ask you this: Have you heard of the rapture slug?"

There was a surprised pause, before Atem answered, "Y-yes."

"Well, when I told you that these Scavengers carry Nagi, it means that they have that slug imbedded in the lining of their stomachs. In order to harvest Nagi, you'll have to rip that slug out of a Scavenger like this one over here."

Atem stared at Raiden in utter horror. "_**What?!**_" he gasped. He looked at the little Scavenger, then back at Raiden. "But—but if I do that, I'd wind up killing her!"

"That's the whole point!" Raiden said, "In order for the Nagi to be harvested, the Scavenger has to die."

**"I never harvest Nagi myself though. I saw someone else do it once; it not only creeped me out, it broke my heart as well."**

_This is what Honda was talking about!_ Atem thought in horror. Suddenly, mad laughter echoed in the hall, and the Scavenger looked up at the side. There was a look of terror on her face, and with a scream, she ran away.

"Well?! What are you waiting for?! Don't go soft on me now!" Raiden demanded, "Get over there and harvest her already!" A distraught Atem reluctantly headed over to the door located on the side of the tunnel, nearby the broken window. He found the Scavenger backing up from a dangerous looking splicer male.

"It's just you… and me…" the splicer chuckled, "…and all the tasty Nagi I could drink!" He raised his wrench, ready to strike his target as she fell to the ground. But just as he was about to attack, a steel needle the size of a bullet struck him on the back, releasing the flow of blood. "GAH!" he barked, and then he looked up behind him. "What the—AACK!" He was immediately silenced as three more needles pierced his head and heart, killing him instantly. Atem, surprised by this turn of events, looked up at a nearby balcony. A young woman, just his age, was holding a pistol containing dart-like needles. She had chocolate brown hair that reached to her shoulders, and eyes as blue as the daytime sky. She wore a pink denim jacket, it sleeves rolled up above the elbow, and under the jacket was a yellow orange tube top with the words, 'Spirit' displayed over the breast area. She also had a blue-gray denim miniskirt, black stockings reaching above her knees, and small platform sandals on her feet. The clothes were stained with blood, but like Honda and Mai, she looked nothing like a splicer. It was at that moment that the young woman saw Atem, and pointed her dart pistol at him.

"Back off, or you're next!" she shouted, glaring menacingly at him.

"Yaah!" Atem shouted in shock, backing up a little, "Don't shoot! I'm not a splicer, I have no intention to harm you!"

"I said, stay away from her!" the young woman roared. Atem's eyes widened as it dawned on him: she was trying to protect the Scavenger!

"Easy now, Mazaki!" Raiden shouted suddenly, "He's just going to get a tiny bit of Nagi, just enough to get by."

"Nagi or no Nagi, I won't let him hurt the kids!" she roared, and Atem looked over to the terrified Scavenger, who was slowly standing up.

Raiden let out a frustrated sigh and said to the crimson-eyed youth, "It's okay, Kid. She's **not** a child! Not anymore! Anzu Mazaki's grandmother saw to that." Atem watched as the Scavenger ran away from him to a trunk nearby a small corner.

"Please, don't hurt her!" the woman, Anzu, pleaded, grabbing his attention. She looked as though she were ready to cry. "Have a heart…"

"Ah, that's very sad," Raiden said sarcastically, "coming from the granddaughter of the woman who cooked up those creatures in the first place. She and your mother took fine little boys and girls and turned them into beasts like **that**, didn't they?" Anzu glared at the man in the Video Phone, but gave no reply. At that, Raiden turned his attention back to Atem, who was once again looking at the Scavenger. "Listen Atem, you can't survive Kyoki without the Nagi these… _**things**_ are carrying!" By now, Atem was growing angry at his guide. But Raiden continued, "Are you willing to throw away my life, and the lives of my wife and child, in favor of one of these **Frankensteins**?"

"SHUT—**UP**—RAIDEN!" Atem roared, gripping hard on the Video Phone and unable to take it any longer, "SHUT UP AND LET ME **THINK**!" There was a moment of silence. Finally, Raiden spoke again.

"Oh, Great Buddha, is it really **that** hard for you? All right, I'll leave you alone for a while. But you better have made your decision by the time I get back." And with that the Video Phone turned off. Atem slowly looked up at the Scavenger ahead of him. She was trembling with fear from behind the steamer trunk. No doubt his loud voice has scared her. He stared long and hard at her, his tears building up in his eyes. Finally, he began to cry.

"What should I do?" he sobbed, "I don't really want to kill that child!" Upon hearing those words, Anzu's expression grew soft. "B-but if I don't kill her… I won't get the Nagi! And Raiden said… I need the Nagi to survive!" His heart filled with indecision, Atem began to walk toward the child. "Do I really have to kill her? Do I even have a choice for that matter?" Despair began to strike him hard. "_**Is there no other way**_?"

It was then that Anzu spoke. "Actually, there **is** another way." That certainly grabbed his attention, and he turned to look up at the young protector in surprise. She continued, "You said you don't want to kill the girl, right?"

"T-That's right!" Atem replied.

She gave him a cheerful smile and said, "Well then, today is your lucky day!" She took a strange item out of her pouch, sparking Atem's curiosity. "Here, use this!" She tossed the object into the air, and he caught it before it could hit the ground. Atem was astonished to find that the item was a plasmid in a bottle, complete with a syringe, but what kind of plasmid?

"What is it?"

"Your alternative." Anzu replied, "Use it on that little girl over there. Trust me, it'll be worth it."

Atem stared at the plasmid in his hand. He was a little skeptical. But then he looked back at the terrified child. He stepped closer to her, and she backed away from him, trying to escape. But Atem followed her, until he found her cornered with no way out. The Scavenger shook with fear. He let out a sigh, taking the syringe and opening the bottle. _Perhaps I should give it a try._ he thought, _At least it'll be better than killing her… I hope._ He extracted the mystery plasmid, and injected it into himself. Power flowed into his body, and at the same time, it felt… serene. Slowly, he bent down, and he gently picked up the girl and reached out to her with his free hand. Immediately she began to struggle. "No! No! NO, NO!" she screamed, trying to pull herself out of his firm but gentle grasp. Soon however, white light began to crack all over Atem's body, spreading outwards from the forehead and heart. Just as the light spread to his hands, he carefully took hold of the child's head, caressing it. She let out a gasp, her fear slowly melting away, and she became limp. Atem closed his eyes and raised his head skyward. The light spread from his fingertips, and now it started covering her skin. Once their bodies were covered with that light, it began to glow brighter. Finally, when they were fully surrounded by that light, Atem tossed the girl into the air. Amazingly, she seemed to float down like a feather, her silhouette revealing an angelic pose like what you would see in the first phase of a Magical Girl anime, before she landed softly on her feet. When at last, the light faded, Atem bowed his head and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a strange looking slug dropping dead in front of him. It was black with a pink stripe on the side, with a pattern of round orange dots made to look like the bulging eyes of the same color, and its fishlike mouth was wide open. Atem let out a small gasp of horror. Worried that he had killed her, he looked up… and was met with a wonderful surprise. The Scavenger was standing in front of him, very much alive, but instead of ghost white skin and blank eyes that glowed yellow, she now had creamy pale skin, and brown sparkling eyes. In other words, she looked more like a normal seven-year-old girl. Atem stared in awe as the little girl looked at herself in growing astonishment. She looked up at him in amazement and they stared at each other for a while. But then with a small gasp, the little girl said, "You… you saved me?!" She then gave a bright smile, emitting a happy giggle. She curtseyed in a cute way saying, "Thank you so much, Mister!"

Atem was dumbfounded at the whole scene. "But how…?"

"The plasmid I gave you is a special antidote, the Restoration plasmid." Anzu explained, "It saves the life of the Scavenger by killing the rapture slug from the inside, then forces it out of their body so that they can become human again." Atem stared at his hand, just as the light of that plasmid was fading away and allowing Bolt to return to power.

"…Amazing!" Atem gasped, before he too stared to smile. He looked over at Anzu. "This is amazing! How could I ever thank you?"

"There's no need for that." Anzu replied, "**You're** the one who saved that little girl and freed her from her torment. All I did was give you the means to do it."

"Hey Mister!" the former Scavenger called, "I got something to show you!" Atem watched as the little girl picked up the dead slug, and took out an empty jar. She squeezed the slug hard, and out of it came a red blood-like fluid, witch poured right into the bottle. Although disgusted, Atem took a closer look at that fluid. It gave a dull glow. "See that?" said the little girl, "That's where plasmids come from." Atem's eyes widened in astonishment.

"That's… Nagi?!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah! Some bad people forced me gather it from the angels that lie around the city. It tastes icky in my mouth, so I'm happy that I don't have to drink that stuff anymore! And it's all thanks to you!"

"Wait!" Atem said, "So the blood you took out of those 'angels'… that's Nagi too?" The girl nodded. "I see…" he gave her a gentle smile. "Well, that makes me glad to know that you don't have to suffer anymore. What is your name, by the way?"

"I'm Mei Lin Xang." The girl said, "Pleased to meet you, Mister…?"

"Atem." He said. "And it's a pleasure to meet you too Mei Lin!"

"A…tem?" Mei Lin queried.

"Hmmm, I guess it **is** a little difficult for you to pronounce… I'll tell you what, how about you give me a nickname to make it easier, okay?"

"Sure!" Mei Lin thought hard before she saw a hole raised above the ground, with a stylized design decorating it, and a box-like platform on the ground. "Oh, do you see that over there?" she said pointing to that hole, "That's my hiding place. It's dark in there, but the dark doesn't scare me all. It makes me feel safe, because there are no monsters wandering around."

"A dark hiding place, huh?" Atem said, "Well, this gives me an idea. Do you know the Japanese word for 'darkness'? It's 'yami'. You can call me Yami!"

"Okay Mr. Yami!" Mei Lin said enthusiastically. Suddenly, there was a noise coming from the next room nearby, and Mei Lin looking over to the sound let out a small gasp of fear. Atem followed the little girl's gaze and realized what was going on.

"Speaking of hiding places," he said to her, "would you like for me to take you to that hole?"

"Yes!" she said worriedly, and Atem gently scooped her up. "Please hurry! Without Mr. Bubbles, the monsters will get me!"

"Don't worry," Atem reassured, "I won't let them hurt you." He carried her quickly to the little hiding hole, watching for splicers on the way. "All right, in you go." Mei Lin, knowing now that she is safe, immediately climbed into the hole. She poked her head out with a smile.

"Thank you again Mr. Yami!" she said, "You're so nice. In fact, you remind me of Yugi!"

"Yugi?" Atem said in confusion, "Who's Yugi?"

"Hee hee, he's my best friend, silly!" Mei Lin giggled.

"Is he?"

"Yeah." But then her smile grew a little sad. "He's the only other friend I have aside from Mr. Bubbles and the other Scavengers."

"Well, if we happen to meet again somewhere, maybe you could introduce him to me. We could all be friends together!" Atem suggested.

"Really?" Mei Lin gasped in excitement, "Okay! I'll do just that! I'll see you later Mr. Yami!"

"Bye Mei Lin!" Atem said as the little girl crawled away. Once she was out of sight, he looked back and saw the jar filled with Nagi. He went over and picked it up.

"That Nagi is yours now. You earned it." Anzu said.

"Anzu." Atem said, looking up toward the balcony.

The young protector smiled. "The path of the righteous is not as easy as one would think," she said, "but in the end, it is always worth it. There are other Scavengers just like Mei Lin, waiting to be rescued. Please help them out when you see them. I'll do whatever I can to make it even more worth your while."

"I'll do my best Anzu." Atem said, and then a question suddenly popped into his head. "Will we ever see each other again?"

"Hee hee, I'm sure we will. See you later!" And with that, Anzu made her departure.

"Atem!" a voice called out to him. Atem quickly turned around and found that Jonouchi, Honda and Mai were coming towards him. To his delight, Jonouchi was healed of all his injuries. "Atem, we thought you were heading to Emergency Access! What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Jonouchi. Something happened on the way--"

"What's that you're holding in your hand?" Honda asked.

"Oh this?" Atem said, holding up the jar, "That's my first batch of Nagi."

"_**Nagi**_?!" Honda exclaimed accusingly, "You didn't harvest a Scavenger, did you?!"

"I did no such thing!" Atem protested.

"Atem's right, you guys!" Mai said as she looked closer at the contents of the jar. "Look! If he really harvested the Scavenger, he would have exactly 160 Nagi. But this jar contains 80 Nagi, which is only half that much! You **never** get half the number of Nagi from harvesting a Scavenger!"

"But how is that possible?" Honda asked. At that moment, the Video Phone flickered on, revealing the hidden face of Raiden.

"Well Atem, I'm back." He said, "I reckon you've made your decision while I was gone."

"I have Raiden." Atem said, "I saved her."

"You WHAT?!" Raiden said in shock, "Ugh, Mazaki is really taking you for a sap!" Shocked at this response, Atem glared at the Video Phone. "I mean they may look like wee little boys and girls, but looks don't make it so! You're going to need all the Nagi you can get to survive!"

"Listen Raiden," Atem growled, "From now on, why don't you drop the subject and let **me** choose how I deal with the Scavenger."

"Fine, whatever." Raiden said nonchalantly. Honda couldn't help but frown.

"That's the one thing I don't like about Raiden." He said, "He's got no regard for the lives of the Scavengers." Before anyone could join in the conversation, there was a noise that sounded like a machine being turned on. All four friends looked behind them and saw that lights were coming on in several colors, and that red curtains were slowly lifting away. The contents behind them looked like mix between a tiny department store and a mossy garden. Suddenly, spotlights turned on, and out from behind the counter came doll-like robots in the shape of chibi Scavengers, each one holding a watering can. In various parts of the store, they started sprinkling water on the moss, flowers started to grow… or what looked like flowers anyway. The whole time there was a saccharine ditty playing in the background, and one of the chibi Scavenger dolls in front of them started singing a cute little song:

"_**In the garden we are growing,**_

_**And the changes will be flowing,**_

_**If you wanna be amazing,**_

_**See the flowers we are raising!**_"

At the very conclusion of that song, the 'flowers' burst into bloom. At the center of each flower, there was a plasmid or gene tonic! When the performance was done, there was a burst of confetti on the sides of the store, and the chibi Scavenger doll took out a tambourine and started playing. "Welcome!" she said, "Welcome to the Gatherer's Garden!"

The only response she got was a sweat drop from all the onlookers. "What the heck?" Jonouchi said.

When the doll looked at them, she grew excited. "Oh! Master, Master! We got our first customers!" And then, even more confetti burst on the sides of the store, as a young man stepped out of the door nearby, applauding at the doll's performance. He had straight lavender hair, with one side covering his left eye. He wore a black puffy shirt with a loosely wrapped bowtie, all put together with a red suit jacket. A pair of black cotton tuxedo pants and white shoes completed the rich gentleman look.

"Bravo! Well done Blossom!" the man said, and he turned towards the team. "Welcome my friends, to the grand opening of the Gatherer's Garden in the Medical Pavilion!"

Jonouchi whispers to Honda and Mai, "Eh, do any of you guys happen to know this weirdo?"

"I do." Mai whispered back. "My mother happened to be a friend of his before she got killed by the splicers two years ago."

Atem, meanwhile, points his index finger upward in confusion. "Who exactly are you?" he asked the man, "And for that matter, what's a Gatherer's Garden?"

"Ah! A surface dweller stands among us!" the man said gleefully, and with a small bow, he said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Pegasus J. Crawford. This store,"—he gestures toward the mossy garden store behind him—"Is the Gatherer's Garden! All the products in this magical shop consist of a variety of plasmids and gene tonics, and can be found all over the city! Of course, this is the first time this store is open in the Medical Pavilion, but putting that aside, is there anything that catches your fancy?"

Atem was about to object when he saw a bottle containing a green liquid. It seemed to spark with electricity, just like the Bolt plasmid he has. "What's that over on that side?"

"Oh this?" Pegasus said, "This is the Static Discharge gene tonic. To clear away some confusion, there are three types of gene tonics. The physical tonics, colored blue, improve on things like physical improvement and healing. The engineering tonics, colored yellow, increases the skills of hackers and inventors; the Hacksmart Line is a sponsor for this kind of tonic. Finally, the combat tonic, colored green, can make warriors even more powerful than ever before. This Static Discharge gene tonic is a combat tonic, fit for users of the Bolt plasmid. Any enemy who tries to attack you would get a dreadful shock—literally!"

"It won't hurt my friends too, would it?" Atem asked.

"No." answered Pegasus, "It is safe around allies. Of this I guarantee!"

"All right then," Atem said, "How much money does it cost?"

"Money?" Pegasus said, "The Gatherer's Garden doesn't need money. This is what makes this store unique: you buy the plasmids and gene tonics with Nagi!"

"Nagi?!" Jonouchi said.

"That's right!" Pegasus said, then turned back toward Atem, "So do you have any Nagi in your person?"

Atem slowly took out the bottle of Nagi and showed it to the owner. "Sure, this is my first batch."

"First time eh?" Pegasus replied, and he took a closer look at the contents. "Huh? 80 Nagi? Are you sure this is your first batch?"

"Yes it is, honest!" Atem said.

"Hmm, I can see the honesty in your eyes, so I guess I believe you." Pegasus let out a sad sigh. "First timers always have 160 Nagi to start with, which means they've harvested their first Scavenger."

"I don't get what you're talking about." Jonouchi said, "I've heard that those Scavenger kids carry Nagi. How do you harvest Nagi?"

"What is your name young man?" Pegasus asked the dirty blonde.

"Jonouchi Katsuya." was the reply.

"Well, Jonouchi Boy, allow me to educate you further about the poor Scavengers that wander the streets with their Hunter bodyguards." Pegasus said seriously, "The rapture slug, which secretes Nagi, is imbedded in the stomach lining of those children, who act as a host. These hosts are induced to regurgitate after feeding, yielding 20 to 30 times the amount of Nagi. Not only do these little boys and girl make veritable 'Nagi factories', they're nearly indestructible. When their flesh gets wounded, they are regenerated with stem versions of the dead cells." Pegasus then grew sad, knowing what's coming next. "But there is a terrible price they had to pay. Their relationship with the imbedded slug is symbiotic. So if you harvest the slug, you'll get the Nagi, but the host will die in the process." Jonouchi gasped in utter shock as he took in all he heard.

"You mean, you had to **kill** those kids just to get the Nagi?!"

"For the most part, yes." Pegasus said, "There was a scientist that once said 'It's not like killing, it's more like taking a terminal patient off of life support.' The problem with that statement is that those sweet children are not terminal patients, which is why I'm glad that scientist had a change of heart." Pegasus once again turned his attention toward Atem, turning serious. "With this in mind, there lies a little mystery. It's your first batch, and you only have half the amount of Nagi. How could you harvest a Scavenger and only get half?"

"I didn't harvest the Scavenger." Atem said.

"You didn't?!" Pegasus said in surprise. "Well that's different! Did you retrieve this batch after someone else killed the child?"

"No!" Atem replied, "Nobody harvested the Scavenger involved, right guys?"

"That's right!" Honda said.

"We didn't lay a finger on that Scavenger! We weren't even around when he got his first Nagi batch, and he was alone when we got here!" Mai said.

Now Pegasus was truly astonished! "But how is that possible?"

Atem smiled and said, "Let's just say that things are about to change in this city."

There was a pause, before Pegasus shook off his confusion and gave a grin. "I see… well in any case, the Static Discharge gene tonic will cost you 20 Nagi! Just give it to one of my dolls to measure it out for you."

"Okay." Atem said, placing his Nagi on the counter. The doll, Blossom, gladly took the jar, and with the help of her fellow doll workers she measured the Nagi to the exact amount, then put it in a machine shaped like a large sunflower. The 'petals' closed in, and after a while it opened back up to reveal that the Nagi had transformed into the gene tonic that Atem had bought.

"Thank you for your business! Please come again!" Blossom said, handing the gene tonic to the crimson-eyed youth. The doll turned to her master with blushing pink cheeks "I like him, Master! He's a nice one!"

"Just equip that gene tonic like you would a plasmid." Pegasus instructed. Atem injected himself with the tonic, and felt his Bolt plasmid grow even more powerful than ever before.

"Whoa!" Atem said when the injection was done. "That felt good."

"Okay, now that we got this over with, let's get outta this place!" Jonouchi said.

"All right!" Atem agreed, "To Emergency Access!"

"Hold on just a minute!" Pegasus called out as they started to leave, "Do you mind if I travel with you for a while?" The others turned around in surprise. "Don't worry, my dolls can handle the business without me. I travel from store to store all over Kyoki to check on the business after all. And as a matter of fact, I happen to know the exact location of every Gatherer's Garden in the city."

"You do?" Atem said, "So if we want to go the store in a certain location, you'll take us there?"

"That's right!" Pegasus replied as Blossom hopped upon her master's shoulder, letting out a giggle. "I'll use Blossom to help you out as well. She makes for an excellent radar."

"Very well, we accept!" Atem said.

"Count me in!" Jonouchi said.

"Me too!" Honda added. Mai only gave a smirk of approval. Pegasus looked over at the golden blonde in recognition.

"Oh, Miss Mai!" he said, "It has been a while since we last saw each other!"

"Isn't it though?" Mai said.

"You look more like your mother every day." Pegasus complimented. "If only she were around to see you."

"Oh, uh, Pegasus!" Atem said, "Before I forget, My name is Atem."

"Atem huh?" Pegasus said, taking a closer look, "Hmm, looking at you now, you remind me of someone…"

"AAGH! Warning! Warning!" Blossom suddenly squeaked in panic, "Splicers have been detected!"

"What?! Where?!" Jonouchi shouted.

"No doubt they're close by." Pegasus said, "Blossom, how many are there?"

"Oh! There's two of them Master!" a teary-eyed Blossom replied.

"I'd hurry up and get going if I were you!" Pegasus said.

"Right, let's move on out!" Atem said and with that, the team left the site of the Gatherer's Garden to face the danger ahead.

Note: Mei Lin is a slightly original character of mine, based a bit on the Little Sister named Masha Lutz. You'll see more of her later in the story. And yes, Yugi is in this story too, but he'll show up later! In the next chapter, Atem and his companions take part in thier first battle with a Hunter (a.k.a Big Daddy)! How will they overcome this giant? Until next time!


	11. Chapter 11

Note: Whew! I managed to get this chapter out of the way. The chapters for 'Blue Eyes White Mermaid' and 'For the Love of Geb and Nut' are starting to take shape. In the meantime, our heroes are about to take part in their greatest challenge yet: a fight with a Hunter (a.k.a Big Daddy)! Will they succeed? Enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 11: Big Daddy Showdown!**

It was not long before the team made it to the large hallway where Steinman's blood messages were first sighted. Blossom was shivering with fear as they peeked out from behind a corner. "They're here Master!" she squeaked in a hushed tone, "The scary splicers are here!" Indeed, not far from the group, there were two female splicers in torn up jeans and t-shirts, chatting like teenagers on a shopping spree. Each of them was carrying a lead pipe, spattered with blood.

"So what do we do with these chicks?" Jonouchi asked.

Pegasus stepped in front of the others, "Never fear, my friends." He said with a smirk, "I'll handle this pair." He lifted up a hand. Nothing happened at first, but then his smooth skin started turning knobby as if the veins are bubbling up and swelling. In moments, some parts of his skin started to bulge out and take the shape of tennis balls, which they could see his right cheek, the left side of his neck, and of course, the palm just below his wrist. Once the bulges had grown to a size fitting a tennis ball, they literally burst right through the skin, revealing to be red round globs of goop. They all stayed put in the openings they created.

"Ugh, gross!" Honda said in disgust at the sight.

"Yes, it is," Pegasus confessed with distaste, "which is why I only reactivate this plasmid under certain conditions. It makes me look like one of those disgusting splicers!"

"Plasmid?" Atem said, "So you're a Plasmund, like us?"

"That's right Atem Boy!" Pegasus said. "And I always thank my lucky stars for making me Nagi compatible!" He motioned his hand as if to throw an object upward, and the round glob on the palm blasted right out of its opening, taking the shape of a ball before it landed neatly on his hand.

"Yuck! What kind of plasmid is that?!" Jonouchi gagged.

"Patience." Pegasus said, "You're about to find out soon enough!" He tossed the round glob up in the air and caught it with his other hand. "One for the money,"—another red glob blasted out of his wrist—"Two for the show,"—at that point he started juggling the two globs—"Three to get ready,"—then holding the globs, he took aim—"And here—we—GO!" And with that, he tossed the globs at the two splicers at top speed. Each of the globs hit both targets, and the splicers stopped their friendly chat. After four seconds of confusion from the impact, they let out screams of rage, and started attacking… each other! The others watched as the splicers flung insults and bashed each other with the lead pipes they carried. "VOILA!" Pegasus said in triumph, "Instant cat fight!" He turned his attention to the group. "This, my friends, is the work of my Rage plasmid. Any enemy who is struck with this plasmid would be filled with such anger that they forget whose side they're on, and as a result, they'll attack just about anyone, even their own allies."

"I get it!" Mai said, "So by using Rage, you not only divert their attacks towards you, you can also cause damage to two enemies at once!"

"But what if there's only one enemy?" Jonouchi asked.

"Then the target of their wrath is the one person who uses Rage… which would be yours truly." Pegasus explained as his skin returned to normal, "In that kind of scenario however, it would only be for a short while. But whether you're facing one enemy, or an opposing army, it doesn't matter; the Rage plasmid will **not** work on those with strong wills." Atem nodded in understanding, just as one of the fighting splicers gave the other the killing blow. She huffed and puffed in exhaustion, blood dripping just about everywhere. "Well that was quick. Guess I'll close the curtain on this little sideshow." Pegasus said as he took out a gold colored chain gun. He fired three bullets in quick succession, and needless to say, the splicer bit the dust. Once she hit the floor with a thud, he put his chain gun to the side. "Before I forget, here's an interesting tidbit: Like most other plasmids in Kyoki, Rage was created during the 1980's. I happen to have some evidence of the prototype." He took out a video diary, and turned it on. Imagine Atem's horror when he once again saw the face of a certain scientist.

"_**Clinical Trial, Lot # 44, Dr. Suchong/Client Orichalcos Futuristics.**_" Dr. Suchong began in the recording, "_**The subject in this trial is a white male by the name of Roland Wallace.**_" The camera turns over to reveal a man in a suit. "_**Can you hear me Mr. Wallace?**_"

"_**Yes Sir, Mr. Suchong Sir!**_" the man replied.

"_**Very well,**_" Suchong said, taking out a syringe, "_**I'm introducing Lot # 44 right about… now!**_" And with that he makes the injection. Suchong turns back to the screen and explains, "_**We've codenamed Lot # 44 'Rage' because of its tendency to--**_" He couldn't finish his sentence, for Wallace began to convulse and scream with rage, as many round globs burst through his skin and anger swelled up. He tried to pull himself free. "_**Nurse, hold him down!**_" the nurse made the attempt but the subject proved to be too strong.

"_**I can't hold him much longer!**_" the nurse cried, before Wallace broke free and started attacking. Dr. Suchong was knocked to the ground, while the nurse screamed in the background. Somehow he managed to pick up the video diary and point its camera towards him.

"_**Well, it seems like Lot # 44 needs a liiittle more work.**_" He gave what seemed like a wicked smile before the camera finally turned off. Pegasus put away the video diary and picked up his weapon.

"That's just about it. Let's move on shall we?" he said. The others nodded in agreement and slowly the team slipped out from hiding. They had barely gone through when Jonouchi suddenly started sniffing the air.

"What's that smell?!" he said, "It's worse than limburger cheese!"

"It wasn't me!" Honda said defensively.

"Hold on!" Atem said, and he too began to sniff the air. He grimaced immediately. "That stench smells familiar."

Pegasus sniffed as well. "Pheromones." He confirmed.

"Pheromones?" Atem asked, growing concerned. "Is Ryu Mutou summoning reinforcements?"

"If he is, we wouldn't be smelling it." Mai said. "The pheromones he puts in the air can only be detected by splicers. These pheromones are different!" As if on cue, a loud whale call echoed in the hall.

"Oh no!" Jonouchi gasped, "Please tell me it's just a whale!" To his dismay, the ground shook, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. As the vibrations grew more intense, a voice came out from behind a nearby hall in front of them. It sounded like a small boy.

"C'mon Bubbles, don't be such a slowpoke! We won't find any angels at that pace!" Finally, the Hunter lumbered into view, and stepping in front of him was a small seven-year-old boy.

"Look!" Mai said, pointing at the pair, "There's a Scavenger over there!" Indeed there is. This one had blonde hair, and he wore a red baseball cap sported backwards. He had a T-shirt with a missing sleeve, and jeans with holes exposing his knees. He only had one sneaker, and the foot that didn't have a shoe was covered only with a sock, which had a hole exposing his big toe.

"Hmm, seem like that Big Daddy is on guard duty." Honda said.

"Hey! There's an angel over there! Let's go get some Nagi!" the Scavenger told his Hunter companion, and immediately stepped toward the corpse with the hypodermic syringe ready. Right when the boy began to extract the Nagi, Atem remembered Anzu's request.

**"There are other Scavengers just like Mei Lin, waiting to be rescued. Please help them out when you see them."**

_Anzu._ He thought, his hand curling into a fist, _I promise I won't let you down._ He eyed the Hunter that stood patiently behind his ward. _But first, I'll have to deal with that Hunter. I know he's trying to protect that child, but as long as he's guarding him, I won't be able to use Restoration._ The Bolt's power built up within, and as he spread open his hand, a ball of electricity began to form. Atem stepped in front of his friends, shocking them to no end.

"Atem Boy?" Pegasus said, "What are you doing?!"

Atem simply replied, "I'm going to pick a fight."

"WHAT?! A-Atem, wait! STOP!" Honda shouted. But it was too late. Atem unleashed his Bolt attack, striking the Hunter dead on!

"Bubbles!" the Scavenger shouted. The electrocuted Hunter convulsed for a moment, before he shook out the aftershock and turned his head toward Atem. He let out an angry whale call, and the yellow glow in his helmet turned red.

"Aw man, you've done it now Atem!" Honda exclaimed, "YOU'VE MADE HIM MAD!"

"That's **exactly** what I was going for!" Atem said as he stepped closer toward his soon-to-be opponent and took a fighter's stance.

"Goddammit Atem," Mai shrieked, "You're even crazier than the splicers! Do you really think you can fight that monster by yourself?!"

Atem ignored her comment as the Hunter let out a bellow powerful enough to literally push back anyone. Yet the crimson-eyed youth stood his ground, and lifting his lead pipe quarterstaff, he shouted to the Big Daddy, "Bring it on!"

"Get him Bubbles! Crush him!" the Scavenger shouted as the yellow glow in his eyes turned red. And with that the Hunter charged toward his target. He swiped a mighty punch at the crimson-eyed youth, but Atem ducked out of the way. He then attempted to make a counterattack, striking the brute on the side with his quarterstaff. To his shock, his repeated hits hardly made a significant impact. That was when the Hunter did a sideswipe with his gigantic fist. It was a direct hit on Atem's stomach, but since he had the Static Discharge gene tonic equipped, a circle of electricity shot out and shocked the brute yet again. Still, the impact was so powerful that it sent Atem flying, until he slammed into a nearby wall, hard. Just when things couldn't get worse for the crimson-eyed youth, the Hunter shook out of his shock, completely unfazed. Then he lunged at Atem again, this time with his drill-arm in activation, and he was aiming right at Atem's face! Atem let out a small, terrified shout as he barely dodged the whining drill, which hit the wall with a bang.

"Atem!" Jonouchi and Honda shouted in horror for their friend. Pegasus glared at the giant Diving Suit and lifted his golden machine gun.

"It seems like we have no choice!" Pegasus said, "We have to take that Big Daddy down!"

"Aiee! Be careful Master!" Blossom cried. Pegasus reactivated his Rage plasmid, and threw the red glob right on the Hunter before he could make another attack on Atem. After recovering from the shock, the brute turned around and roared a whale call at the Rage wielder.

"Have a taste of my new armor-piercing bullets, Big Daddy!" Pegasus shouted and his fired his machine gun. Many of those bullets indeed lived up to their function, striking the giant even as he was charging head on towards his new target.

"Look out!" Mai exclaimed, and she ran out of the Hunters way, along with Jonouchi and Honda. Pegasus also dodged the drill attack, barely, but in the opposite direction. Just as he fell to the floor with a screaming Blossom, Honda decided to make his move, and started shooting at the Hunter with his pistol. Mai loaded up her handheld crossbow and fired a bolt. It hit the brute just as the Rage plasmid wore off. As if realizing that he was dealing with multiple targets, the Hunter bellowed again, and bull rushed the two assailants. He slammed them with his huge fist, and sent both of them flying at once.

"Mai! Honda!" Jonouchi shouted as they crashed landed on the floor. Soon rage began to surge within him as he looked at the Hunter, his hot coal skin glowing bright with a raging fire. Yet compared to the anger he felt when he confronted Dr. Steinman with his friends, the heat of it was even more intense. And the surge of power and strength flowed in his body, just like it did with Atem! And speaking of whom, Atem, battered and bruised, slowly rose to his feet with the help of his quarterstaff. When he saw his friend, he let out a gasp. _Jonouchi…_ he thought, _What's happening? It's like his Blaze plasmid is going on overdrive!_ At that very moment, Jonouchi raised his sword, letting the fires of his Blaze cover the blade. Meanwhile, just as Honda was about to get up, the Hunter grabbed him by the ankle and swung him over to the other side of the hall. Honda yelled in pain as he landed on the floor.

"Yeah, knock 'em dead!" the Scavenger cheered as the Hunter prepared to launch a killing blow.

"Hey, Big Daddy!" Jonouchi shouted, gaining the Hunter's attention, "You think you're so tough?! Then how about a little drill-to-sword combat?!" The Hunter charged toward the dirty blonde, as though happy to oblige. Whining drill and flaming sword clashed with each other, and miraculously Jonouchi's sword somehow managed to resist being skewered to scrap metal. Again and again the fighters swung at each other. Then suddenly, the Hunter punched Jonouchi right on the face, sending him to the floor. The brute's gloved hand caught fire, but he quickly punched the ground to snuff it out. After seeing his friend get hurt in that way, it was not long before Atem began to feel a familiar rage building up within him. His Bolt plasmid pulsed with great strength and power. At the very same time, Jonouchi lifted his head, wiping the blood that was dripping from the right side of his mouth. He glared at the Hunter, unfazed by the punch. "Big mistake…" he growled. Then he quickly stood up, and shouted, "SPINNING INFERNO!" He spun in a circle, holding his flaming sword outward, making a ring of fire. The blade struck the Hunter right on the stomach, and not only did it wound the brute, it set him aflame as well. The Hunter bellowed in pain and anger, and he charged in an attempt to retaliate. But that was when Atem made his move. Once again, a large ball of electricity formed in his hands.

"PLASMA BOLT!" he shouted, and he hurled the ball forward. His aim was true, and the Hunter bellowed as he was electrocuted. As such, the giant Diving Suit stood paralyzed on the spot.

"Unbelievable…!" Pegasus gasped as he witnessed the whole scene.

"Now Jonouchi!" Atem exclaimed, "Finish him off!" Jonouchi did not hesitate, and with a great battle cry, he plunged his sword right into the brute's heart.

For a few moments all was still. The Hunter's blood flowed like one massive river. Then he let out a long whale-like moan, and as soon as Jonouchi pulled his sword out, everything seemed to slow down as the brute fell to the ground with a heavy thud. The light in the helmet flickered, before finally it died out, along with the Hunter himself. Then there was silence, as the team stared long and hard at the Big Daddy they had just killed together. The Scavenger was staring at the Hunter too; he let out a gasp of shock, unable to believe what just happened before his very eyes. Choking sobs began to emit from the little boy's throat as the red glow in his eyes once more became yellow. Finally, let screamed in anguish, "BUBBLES!!" Immediately, he ran toward the giant corpse of his bodyguard. "You can't die now Bubbles! Please don't die!" When it became apparent to him that 'Bubbles' had indeed passed away, he started crying like never before. Meanwhile, Mai and Honda had gotten to their feet, as did Pegasus, and like Jonouchi and Atem, they were stunned at what they had just done.

"No way…" Jonouchi said, "We… we did it…! We actually killed a Hunter!"

"Amazing!" Pegasus said as his skin returned to normal, "It's been a while since I've seen one's Overdrive Abilities in action like this!"

"Overdrive Abilities?" Atem questioned.

"Oh, sorry." Pegasus apologized, "For a moment, I forgot that you and your friend are from the surface, so allow me to explain. Unlike normal humans, or even splicers for that matter, we Plasmunds have a unique special power at our disposal, which is referred to as the Overdrive Ability. It is only activated when a Plasmund is pushed to the limit in one form or another. When that happens, they use their plasmids in ways unique to them, and they are extremely powerful."

"Yeah!" Blossom added, "Not even a Big Daddy like this one could stand up to something like that!"

"Awesome!" Jonouchi said in awe, "That explains Atem's supercharged Plasma Bolt when we were fighting against Dr. Steinman!"

"And that also explains your newly-discovered Spinning Inferno ability, Jonouchi." Honda said, "Such amazing powers are capable of turning the tide in any major battle." With the explanation finished, they soon laid their eyes on the young Scavenger, who was still mourning the loss of his companion.

"So what do we do now?" Jonouchi asked.

"Leave him." Mai said, "Let him mourn his loss and let him get back to his hiding hole by himself."

"But what if some splicer comes along and harvests the kid?" Jonouchi protested.

"Well it's a whole lot better than sacrificing **our** humanity!" Honda said, "Don't you get it?! People who harvest Scavengers, even if they are a Plasmund… they change! Something happens, and unless they get treatment, they're overcome with bloodlust, and eventually all they can care about is their hunger for more Nagi! I know it's cruel, but we can't help him! Just leave him here and head over to Emergency Access so we can go to Dragon King's Bounty!" With that, the he and the others began to leave.

"No!" Atem said suddenly. The rest of the team looked back at the crimson-eyed youth, startled at what they had heard.

"Atem?" Honda said. Atem began to step toward the crying Scavenger.

"We will not leave this child!" he said, "Not this time!"

"Atem Boy, have you gone mad?!" Pegasus shouted.

"You better not be doing what I think you're doing!" Honda exclaimed in growing anger.

"Leave him alone, you bastard!" Mai hollered.

Pegasus lifted his machine gun and aimed it at Atem. "YOU SHALL **NOT** HARVEST THAT BOY!"

"There is ANOTHER way!" Atem shouted back, "Trust me! It'll be worth your while!" And with that, he bent down and reached out toward the boy.

"Atem, DON'T!" Jonouchi shouted in a panic. But Atem had already picked up the little Scavenger boy, holding him as gently as he could. All at once, the Scavenger grew horrified.

"No! NO!" he cried, trying to pry himself out of Atem's grasp, "Lemme GO!" At that very same moment, Atem's Bolt plasmid faded to make way for the white glow of the Restoration plasmid. Once the glow covered most of his body, Atem immediately cradled the boy's head with his free hand.

"It's all right, Little One," he reassured, "Don't be afraid." And with a sigh, the boy grew limp with relaxation. Everyone else stared in amazement as the white glow began to crack upon the Scavenger's skin from Atem's hand.

"What's this?!" Pegasus gasped in awe, "A plasmid I've never seen before?!" At that moment the glow had become so bright, that they all had to cover their eyes. When at last, the light faded, a small thump was heard, and the others looked up just in time to see an incredible sight. There, standing in front of Atem, was the Scavenger, who was not only alive and well, but also looked more like a normal little boy with bright green eyes. As his Bolt plasmid returned to his skin, Atem opened his eyes and smiled as the little boy looked at himself in surprise.

"Huh? I-I'm me again…" the boy said, before he looked up at his savior, "Did you…?"

"Yes, Little One." Atem replied kindly.

The boy gave a big smile. "Whoa! Thanks Mister!"

"I don't believe it!" Honda said in amazement, "Atem actually… made him **human** again!"

"But how?" Mai asked.

"It's my pleasure." Atem said to the ex-Scavenger. He took off the boy's hat, playfully ruffled his hair, then put it back on, earning some happy laughter from the child. "Now hurry back to your hiding hole before the monsters come and eat you, okay?

"Okay Mister!" the boy said, "Thanks again!" And with that, he ran off toward the tunnel in a nearby wall. Jonouchi stepped toward his friend, who was watching with a smile.

"Atem!" he said in excitement, "That was so cool! Seriously, how did you do that? How did you manage to make him human?"

Atem knelt down to pick up the dead slug that had been in the boy's body. Unlike the slug he saw previously, this one had only a pink horizontal stripe, and no orange spots. "It's all made possible with my new Restoration plasmid." Atem explained as he drained the Nagi into his jar, "Remember what Pegasus said about the symbiotic relationship between the rapture slug and its host? Restoration allows me to destroy the slug from within. In this way, the Scavenger's life is spared, while at the same time they are restored to their original state."

"Incredible Atem Boy!" Pegasus said, "But where did you get such a plasmid?"

"When I found myself trapped in a moral dilemma concerning another Scavenger, someone came in my time of need and gave it to me. That was how I got my first batch of Nagi." Atem replied, "Which reminds me… Pegasus, do you sell it in any of your Gather's Garden stores?"

"Actually, no." Pegasus replied, "I've never even heard of this particular plasmid before, much less seen one."

"Me neither." Honda admitted.

"I haven't heard of this plasmid either." Mai said. "Heck, I don't even know anyone in Kyoki who uses it, if there is such a person."

Atem looked at them in surprise. "You mean… **no one** in the city knows about Restoration?"

"No." Honda said. "It's true that many of the refugees want to help the Scavengers, but they have no idea how to do it. That's why when most Plasmunds and normal humans see one with a Big Daddy or a Big Bertha, they leave them alone, and let them do their 'duties'. There are times, however, when there's no other choice but to harvest the kids for the Nagi they carry. With great remorse, they let a splicer do the harvesting, then take the slug soon after."

"If that's not bad enough," Mai added, "Some of us are tempted to harvest the slug with their own hands." She frowned in a mix of anger and sorrow before she said, "And of those people, some actually gave in to that temptation."

"No way!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Last year, Aunt Julie and I were on the hunt for some Nagi." Honda said, "It was my first time, so at first, I didn't understand why she was so reluctant." As he spoke, his voice became shaky. "After finding a Scavenger and defeating her Big Daddy, one of our colleagues couldn't wait for a splicer to come. Aunt Julie tried to stop him, but it was too late. I watched as the scientist… **thrust** his hand right into her stomach… then pulled out the rapture slug, killing her instantly. The slug was quivering in his bloodied hand… and when he was done, he dropped the girl's corpse… I was haunted by that scene ever since."

"I understand completely, Honda Boy." Pegasus said sadly, "I myself had witnessed the harvesting of those children on more than one occasion. The poor things…" But soon a smile appeared as he turned toward Atem. "But now, just like you told me Atem Boy, all of this is about to change. Whoever gave you that Restoration plasmid helped you give us the most precious gift in Kyoki: the light of hope." That sentence was enough to bring a smile to the faces of Honda and Mai.

"I agree with Pegasus." Mai said, "To know that there is finally a way to save those Scavengers… It's so uplifting!"

"Hey, why don't you let us help you?" Honda suggested.

"Oh that a wonderful idea!" Blossom said joyfully, "I'll help too! I'll even use my radar to detect nearby Scavengers and Hunters!"

"Atem, if they're gonna help you rescue the kids, then so am I." Jonouchi said wrapping an arm on his friend's shoulder, "There's no way I'll let you fight a Hunter alone!"

"Thank you everyone." Atem said gratefully, "I'm going to need all the help I can get." That was when the Video Phone turned on again, revealing the hidden face of Raiden on the screen.

"Are you guys almost out?" he asked.

"Y-yes Raiden!" Atem said.

"Then hurry over to Emergency Access!" Raiden said, "You got Mutou's eye now. You won't see him coming, but he'll get there when you least expect it."

"Damn!" Atem said, and he turned toward the team. "No time for questions, let get out of here!" The rest nodded in understanding, and rushed toward Emergency Access.

* * *

Mutou stared at long and hard at one of the TV screens in his office. It showed the five adventurers as they headed through the door to Emergency Access.

Behind the businessman there were two splicers dressed in what appeared to be an army soldier's uniform, without the helmet. "Hmph, seems like those little parasites managed to survive the scalpels of Dr. Steinman." Said one soldier.

"And that's not all." said the other, "We've got another traitor in our midst: Pegasus J. Crawford. Daaamn! First the General Contractor, now him?!"

Mutou calmly leaned back on his chair. "It doesn't matter." He said, "Even if they manage to cancel my security lock with that surgeon's key, they won't be able to use the main bathysphere of the Kyoki Metro. They're essentially trapped." On the screen at that moment, Atem placed the card-like key into the machine by the switch in Emergency Access, and then pulled that switch.

* * *

"_**Security lockdown deactivated. Thank you, and have a nice day.**_"

The red lights went out and the siren grew silent. It did not take long before the gate opened. "WOO-HOO!" Jonouchi cheered. "We did it!"

The Video Phone turned on, and Raiden once more appeared on the screen. "I don't know how you guys did it, but you did it! Come to Dragon King's Bounty as soon as you can. I'm looking forward to shaking your hand, especially **your** hand Atem."

"That's no problem, Raiden." Atem said.

"Hey guys," Honda said, "I didn't ask you before now, but do you mind if I come with you to Dragon King's Bounty? The Neptune Safehouse is located in that place, and I'm supposed to go there to meet up with Aunt Julie."

"Don't mind at all Honda." Jonouchi replied, "Since you mentioned it, I actually look forward to seeing her again."

"I'll go with you too." Mai said, "You all could use my help when we encounter some splicers."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Pegasus said, "Let's get on board the bathysphere!" Everyone nodded, and soon they stepped through the gate. There, they saw the bathysphere, floating in a pool of water set in the center of the leaky room. Luckily, it was large enough for all of them to fit in.

"Check it out Atem!" Jonouchi said, pointing to a switch in front of him, "This bathysphere's got a switch just like the one in the lighthouse!"

"You're right!" Atem gasped, "But this one has some kind of computer!"

"Do you want to know how to use it?" Honda asked, "Just type in the destination and pull the switch. The bathysphere will do the rest."

"All right then." Atem said, before facing the sandy blonde. "Jonouchi, since I pulled the switch last time, why don't you type in our destination and pull the switch this time."

"Sure thing buddy!" Jonouchi said. He approached the computer and typed in 'Dragon King's Bounty', then took hold of the switch. He pulled as hard as he could, but somehow, it didn't move an inch. He stopped, panting from the effort, and said, "Hold on, let me try again." And he pulled again, harder this time. Yet in spite of that, the switch still wouldn't budge. Tired from his attempt, Jonouchi stopped altogether.

"Here, let me give it a try." Honda suggested, and so he took hold of the switch and pulled. And he pulled. And still the switch refused to move. So he stopped, panting. "I don't get it! It worked perfectly before!"

Pegasus tried to pull it as well. "No luck for me either." He confirmed.

"Hold on, I think I know what's going on." Mai said, and then she made the attempt to pull the switch, her eyes honed on the computer screen. As she pulled, the screen was flashing in bold letters, '_**Access Denied**_'. "Shit… I knew it! The bathysphere is somehow keeping us from using it!"

"You mean we're stuck here?!" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"Don't give up hope everyone!" Raiden said, "Why don't you let Atem pull the switch?"

"How do you know it won't do the same thing with him?" Jonouchi asked, skeptical.

"Just trust me." Raiden said, "Atem, go ahead and pull that switch, would you kindly?"

Atem let out a small gasp, before he said, "O-okay Raiden." Slowly, he reached out and took hold of the handle. With a firm grip, he pulled the switch. Slowly, to everyone's amazement, the switch began to move towards his direction. Then suddenly, the switch slid all the way down in the hand of the crimson-eyed youth. Immediately afterward, the bathysphere door slowly swung closed with a loud slam.

* * *

Back at his office, Mutou leaned toward the TV, utterly shocked at what he was seeing. The bathysphere on the screen, now locked securely, began to sink into the water. "H-hey! That wasn't supposed to happen!" One of the splicer soldiers exclaimed.

There were a few seconds of silence, before Mutou finally spoke. "Impossible!" he growled, before standing up. "How did that boy manage to activate the bathysphere?!"

"Why are ya asking us boss?!" cried the second soldier, "We don't know how he bypassed the Metro!"

Mutou sighed in frustration and took his seat again. "This little parasite is someone we need to study. Return to your stations, and let me keep an eye on the boy and his group of friends as they travel through Dragon King's Bounty."

"Yes sir!" the two soldiers said, before departing to their stations. Once he was alone, the businessman looked at the TV screens in deep contemplation.

_MSS or DIH?_ He thought, _You're quite a mystery, Boy… but I'll figure you out soon enough…_

Note: That's it for this chapter, and for our heroes' adventure in the Medical Pavilion. Starting with the next chapter, the adventure in Dragon King's Bounty begins, starting with a close encounter with a familiar 'creepy lady', and yet another battle with a Hunter. What's in store for the team? Until next time!


	12. Chapter 12

Note: Hi, I'm back! And I've just finished the latest chapter of Plasmashock! Little by little, I'm getting over the hurdle that is writer's block on my other stories. But right now, the adventure in Dragon King's Bounty is about to begin, and two new characters make their appearance! Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: Dragon King's Bounty**

"Man, how did you do that?!" a surprised Jonouchi asked Atem as they and their companions were approaching the entrance to Dragon King's Bounty in the bathysphere. "You were able to pull the switch and get this bathysphere to work when no one else can!"

"Yeah, what's your secret?" Honda asked, equally amazed at what he saw.

Atem replied hesitantly, "Actually… I…I have no idea… I'm just as surprised as you are right now."

"No way! Are you serious?!" Mai said in disbelief.

"OF COURSE I'M SERIOUS!" Atem blurted out. The others stared in shocked silence, before Atem managed to calm down. He closed his eyes, and leaned on the wall. "Forgive me… I didn't mean to lash out like that. It's just that…"—he opened his eyes, revealing a hint of fear—"There's a lot of things about myself that even **I** don't know…"

"What do you mean by that Atem Boy?" Pegasus asked in concern.

"Just last night, I discovered that I am an expert in martial arts," Atem explained, "But for as long as I remember, I never had the time to study Kung Fu or Karate, much less practice their moves." Atem let out another sigh. "What is happening to me?" Before the conversation could continue any further, the team felt a bump. They looked out the window and found that they are heading upwards in a tunnel.

"Looks like we've made it to Dragon King's Bounty." Honda said. So they waited, until finally, the bathysphere broke the water's surface. It bobbled up and down a bit, then finally became still. Only then did the bathysphere door unlock, and opened wide. Atem, Jonouchi, Honda and Mai all stared in a fascinated shock at the entrance outside. It looked like the interior of a large fish market, like the one in Tokyo, but there was the overwhelming evidence of slaughter amidst the moisture. The air was filled with the scent of blood, mixed with dead fish and rotting human corpses. One corpse was hanging on display, with the words 'Smuggler!' written in blood. The corpse did not look like a fresh kill, for the dried-up skin was already in the midst of peeling right off the bone; it seemed that the person had been dead for much longer than two years. Pegasus gently shook his robotic doll, Blossom, who had been sleeping on his shoulder.

"Wake up little Blossom." He said, "We're here." Blossom's eyes blinked open, then she rose up, stretched her little arms and yawned.

"Huh?" she said groggily, rubbing her eyes, "We're at Dragon King's Bounty already?" She let out another yawn before she said, "That bathysphere always rocks me to sleep."

"Whoa…" Jonouchi gasped as Atem stepped out of the bathysphere, "**That's** Dragon King's Bounty? What happened here?"

Mai took hold of Jonouchi's hand and replied, "From what I can remember, this is where all the trouble began." She had just dragged the sandy blonde out of the bathysphere when Atem suddenly clutched his head in pain.

"What's wrong Atem?!" Honda said in concern, rushing out of the bathysphere along with Pegasus. But Atem gave no reply, as suddenly, an image began to rush through his head. It was of the very same scene in front of him, except the floor and the wall seemed new to him… and the rotting flesh of the corpse had yet to dry up completely. Along with that image, there was a sound echoing in his head. It was a murmuring voice, and it seemed to belong to a small child. He could not understand the words. Then suddenly, the images and sounds disappeared as quickly as they came.

"Atem?!" Jonouchi shouted, snapping the crimson-eyed youth out of his trance, "Are you okay, Man?"

"I-I'm fine Jonouchi." Atem replied. He tried hard to bring the image and voice back into his memory, but surprisingly, they never appeared. Yet there was this nagging thought that was in his mind: This place looked strangely familiar. But why? He's never been here before! Just then, the Video Phone turned on, and Raiden appeared on the screen.

"Hey everyone!" Raiden greeted, "So now you had the pleasure of Ryu Mutou's company. Someone in the last Safehouse may have already told you this, but he's the one who built this place… and he's the one who drove it to the ground."

"Raiden…" Atem said.

"A long time ago, he was a man with a heart of gold." Raiden continued, "Then something happened that changed him. They say he went mad, and that the power got to him. As a result, good men died along with the Mutou we used to know."

"I see. "Jonouchi said, "So now that we're at Dragon King's Bounty, have you figured out the whereabouts of your family?"

"Yes, I've found them." Raiden said, "They're hiding in an evacuation submarine located in the Atlantis Fisheries. The Neptune Safehouse is close by the freezer leading to that place, so rest up for tonight, and I'll meet you at the Fisheries tomorrow."

"Okay, got it." Atem said, and with that, the screen on the Video Phone turned blank. He turned toward his team. "Let's go find the Neptune Safehouse."

"Yeah!" Jonouchi said.

"I'll lead the way." Honda said, "I traveled with Aunt Julie around Dragon King's Bounty before, so I know my way around." So with Honda ahead of them, the team forged ahead, navigating around the rubble and debris. They had just made it to the first door, when suddenly Blossom started to panic.

"AIEEE!" Blossom screamed, "Warning! Warning! A splicer has been detected nearby!"

"What?! A splicer, already?!" Mai gasped in shock.

"All right then," Jonouchi said, holding up his sword, "let go kick some butt!"

"Don't rush in too quickly Jonouchi Boy!" Pegasus warned as the sandy blonde sped past the door. As the others hastily followed, Jonouchi suddenly came to a screeching halt. There was a look of absolute terror etched on his face.

"Jonouchi? What happened?" Atem asked.

"Oh no, oh no! I-it can't be! Not **her**!" Jonouchi stuttered.

"What in Ra's name are you talking about?" Atem said in confusion. In reply, Jonouchi grabbed hold of his friend and dragged him to his direction.

"Look Atem!" Jonouchi said in horror, pointing to a moving shadow in front of them. "I-i-it's the Creepy Lady again!" Atem looked, and his eyes widened in fear as he recognized the identity of the unseen figure making that shadow: that of the splicer that had attacked him and his childhood friend when they first arrived in Kyoki.

"Creepy Lady?" Honda said, "Let me see!" The Telekinesis wielder squeezed by for a closer look and gasped in shock. "No way!" he gasped, for the 'Creepy Lady' seemed as though it were cutting something up with her sickles.

"Oh… my… God!" Mai said in shock.

"That's her!" Blossom whimpered, "That's the splicer!" The shadow of the 'Creepy Lady' suddenly looked up from what she was doing, and started looking around. Jonouchi couldn't help but shudder as the team made their slow approach.

"What's crawling in my garden this time?" the splicer said in a seductive voice tinged with a hint of frustration. Then she jumped upward out of sight.

"GAAH!" Jonouchi screamed, forcing Atem to rush ahead. When he made it to where the 'Creepy Lady' was, there was no sign of her… only a mangled corpse that was the splicer's fresh kill.

"Where'd she go?" Honda questioned as he and the others joined up. The only reply to his query was the sound of rocks crumbling toward the next door. The team sped toward the door leading to a small tunnel ahead of them. The ceiling had some holes, but beyond that was pitch black darkness. The sound of crumbling rocks once again filled the room, and suddenly rose petals began to fall from the ceiling onto the floor.

"The days go by like wind…" cooed the 'Creepy Lady' seductively before she vanished.

"It's a spider splicer!" Mai said, "But which kind is it? Oh, how I wish I have a digital research camera right about now…"

"W-wait!" Jonouchi said, "Spider splicer? Okay, now I'm confused. Honda called some of the splicers here dynamite splicers, but aside from the face and fashions they all look the same to me."

Mai looked back at the sandy blonde in annoyance. "They may seem similar," she explained, "but there are actually different types of splicers categorized by their methods of attack and their physiological structure. For example, the dynamite splicers are splicers who use explosives as a main weapon. Do you get it so far?"

"Yeah, I think so." Jonouchi replied, though he still had a look of confusion.

"There are so many details concerning splicers, and there are different kinds of a single group of splicers," Mai continued, "which is why I have a digital research camera on my wish list. I don't know very much about splicers aside from the obvious."

"Never mind the splicers, Miss Mai!" Pegasus said, "We need to find the Neptune Safehouse so we can have our rest!"

"Pegasus is right Mai." Atem said, "Let's go."

"R-right." Mai said, and with that the team forged ahead. Before long, they found themselves what looked like a huge dockside town encased in glass. Suddenly, there was a noise that sounded like the clicks and whistles of a dolphin. This made Honda, Mai, and Pegasus stop in their tracks. Immediately, Blossom scanned the large room with her lively camera eyes.

"Ah! I'm detecting a Hunter in our proximity!" she announced, "This Hunter's a female; we have a Big Bertha in this area!"

"I see." Pegasus said, "Search the area to see if there is a Scavenger with her."

"Got it Master!" Blossom said enthusiastically, before she scanned the area yet again. "We have a confirmation! A female Scavenger is not far from Big Bertha!" No sooner than she finished her sentence than the thumping of heavy boots broke the surrounding silence. Immediately, the team rushed forward near the edge of the 'dock'. Indeed, there was a Hunter lumbering about with a little Scavenger by her side. The Hunter looked different from the ones that the team encountered earlier; she had no drill for a hand, and the diving helmet appeared like any normal diving helmet worn in the early 1950's. In her huge hands she held what looked like a huge rivet gun. As for the Scavenger, who appeared to be ten years old, she had blonde hair held up in two pigtails, a green turtleneck sweater and a tattered pink coat. She also wore a dark red skirt, white stockings with one hanging by the ankle, and little black dress shoes. Like most Scavengers, her clothes were covered in filth and blood, her skin was ghost white with a gray pallor, and her eyes were a blank yellow glow.

"Is that what a Big Bertha looks like?" Jonouchi asked.

"No, Jonouchi Boy." Pegasus replied, "Big Daddies and Big Berthas actually look no different from each other. The only way to tell male from female is by their modified voices."

"Is that so?" Atem said.

"Yeah," Honda said, "The Big Daddies have voices that are similar to the song of a humpback whale. The Big Bertha, on the other hand, has her voice modified to sound like the clicks and whistles of a dolphin."

"Okay, I understand that part," Jonouchi said, "but I don't get why this one looks different than the ones we saw back at the Medical Pavilion."

"Hunters are built in two different models." Mai explained, "The one we encountered earlier is the Bouncer model. This one over there is a Rosie model. Either gender can be made in either model, which is why the vocal modification comes in handy."

"Hurry Buttercup," the Scavenger told her Big Bertha, "I can see angels dancing in the sky!" The Hunter gave a dolphin whistle in response. Atem stepped forward, still staring at this pair.

"I have to admit it." he said, "From what I've seen, the Hunters are monsters… but they're monsters with a heart. They're willing to risk their own lives to protect these Scavengers from danger, to keep them from being harvested. And not only that, they're good friends to these lonely children, who have no one else but each other to play with. For that reason, I somehow admire those gentle giants." He gripped his lead pipe quarterstaff. "Still, we have no choice but to kill those Hunters, even if it brings guilt. It's the only way we can rescue those Scavengers—so far." Suddenly, there was the sound of gunshots from a short distance. Moments later, more gunshots could be heard, but this time there were bullets flying from nowhere in the opposite direction, striking the Big Bertha from behind.

"Buttercup!" the Scavenger shouted in shock, then looked toward the source of the bullets. The yellow glow in her eyes immediately turned red, and she started pointing. "There's the monster, Buttercup! Get 'em!" Indeed, a male splicer dressed in the clothes of a modern fisherman, shooting at the pair with a pistol.

"C'mon you big juggernaut!" the splicer taunted, "HAND OVER THE NAGI!" The Rosie, undaunted by the splicer's weak attack, turned around and screeched an angry dolphin whistle, as the yellow light in her helmet turned red. Immediately, she started to counterattack with her own rattling gun.

"Whoa!" Honda said as the gunfight began to escalate, "Talk about good timing! Here's our chance everyone! Let's get her while she's distracted!" In an instant, he took out his own pistol and started firing. Mai loaded up her hand crossbow, while Pegasus took out his gold machine gun and started shooting. Unfortunately, the Rosie wasn't distracted for long. By the time Mai's crossbow bolt struck its mark, the Hunter had made quick work of the attacking splicer. With her first target gone, she immediately turned around toward the team, realizing that there were more targets in her presence. With an angry dolphin screech, she took out what looked like a grenade and hurled it right towards them!

"What the?!" Jonouchi shouted, "Look out!" The grenade made its landing on the ground—and exploded on impact! Luckily, the others managed to jump out of the way to avoid major injury. "Damn! That Big Bertha's fast!" Jonouchi shouted upon landing.

"If there's one thing I know about the Rosie model," Mai said to the sandy blonde, "it's that they tend toward long distance attacks using weapons like guns and grenades. That's how she's able to kill that splicer quickly enough to turn her attention on us!"

"Then perhaps we can take this fight into close proximity!" Atem said. With a raging battle cry, he immediately leapt toward the Big Bertha. She lifted her huge arm to block the impact of the lead pipe quarterstaff as the crimson-eyed youth landed. Again and again, Atem slammed his quarterstaff on the Hunter, even giving a few karate kicks. While this was going on, an old man bearing the appearance of a college professor peeked out from behind one of the beams in the background, his worried eyes staring at the battle before him, and at the Scavenger in the midst of the fray.

"Kill 'em Buttercup!" shouted the Scavenger "Kill 'em!" At first, the Big Bertha attempted to back away, trying to regain her advantage. But Atem kept coming closer. So finally she punched him right in the face. The Static Discharge shocked her for a moment, but to everyone's shock, she recovered fast enough to give him a second punch on the gut, knocking him to the ground! And again she recovered quickly from the resulting Static Discharge!

"Atem!" Honda shouted, before glaring at the Rosie, his anger fueling unseen power. "You're going to regret this! Here's my Overdrive Ability! TITAN MIND GRIP!" Then to the astonishment of Atem and Jonouchi, Honda thrust his hand outward. The air rippled like before, but the waves were larger and more intense. Within seconds, one of the large stone poles built within a nearby dock starts to shake violently, then with a loud crack it was ripped out of its foundation and lifted up into the air! Jonouchi barely had the time to say, "Yikes!" as the Telekinesis wielder spun the pole to the side. "Take THIS!" Honda shouted as he tossed the pole, slamming it right into the Big Bertha, sending them right into a nearby dock. "All right guys, finish her off!" Jonouchi, fueling his rage and Blaze plasmid, leapt toward the Hunter just as she was getting back on her feet.

"Let's give her the combo Atem!" Jonouchi shouted as his childhood friend stood up.

"Got it!" Atem responded, fueling his own rage and his Bolt plasmid.

"SPINNING INFERNO!" Jonouchi shouted, and struck the staggering Rosie with a steel blade and a ring of fire.

"PLASMA BOLT!" Atem shouted and hurled a charged up ball of electricity, dealing the coup de grace. The Hunter let out a loud dolphin screech as she was simultaneously electrocuted and burned. The screech soon died down into a moan as she fell lifeless to the ground.

"NO!" The Scavenger shouted in horror, and she ran to her fallen companion, "Get up Buttercup! GET UP!!" When she saw that there was no movement, she started crying like never before. Slowly, the team stepped toward the sad scene.

"Are you all right Atem?" Mai asked.

"I… I'm okay." Atem replied, "But right now, we must pay our final respects to this guardian. Give her a moment of silence; that way, she will know that her death will not be in vain." And indeed, there was silence, broken only by the Scavenger's sobs. The team bowed their heads, expressing their guilt at slaying the Rosie and quietly reassuring her that her ward will soon be in good hands. The whole time, the old professor was watching them, unseen. Finally, Atem turned toward his friends.

"All right Atem, do your stuff." Jonouchi said, and with a smile, Atem stepped toward the Scavenger. Quickly and gently, bent down and picked up the child. Taken by surprise, she screamed and began to struggle. Seeing this, the terrified professor immediately went into his pack, fumbling as he tried to retrieve a shotgun. Right at that moment, Atem activated his Restoration plasmid.

"It's all right Little One, I won't hurt you." He reassured. He had cradled the Scavenger's head to soothe her fears by the time the professor got his shotgun, and indeed the old man stared in awe at what he was seeing. The light cracked through the skin of both subjects and soon it filled the room. When it finally faded, the decorated rapture slug fell to the ground. And the Scavenger, a Scavenger no more, opened her sparkling green eyes. With an obvious look of surprise, the girl looked at herself.

"Huh? I'm still alive?" she asked. "And… I look more like me again…!"

"You see," Atem said, grabbing the girl's attention, "I'm different from all those monsters wandering the halls." He put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry my friends and I killed Buttercup. We only did it so we can free you from your torment."

The girl let out a small gasp of surprise. "You did all this… to save me?" There soon was a smile on her face, and she stepped back a bit to bow. "Hee hee hee! In that case, I forgive you on behalf of Buttercup. Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Little One." Atem said, standing up with the dead rapture slug in his hand. "In any case, you should go back to the tunnel you came out of. You never know when those monsters would show up again."

"Rebecca?!" a voice suddenly called out. The team, along with the little girl, looked to the side and saw the old professor stepping out of his hiding place. He was staring in amazement, unable to believe he wasn't dreaming. The girl's own eyes widened in surprise.

"Grandpa?" She gasped, taking a few steps forward, "Grandpa, is that you?"

"Rebecca!" The old professor said joyfully, running towards the group, "I don't believe it! You're really human again!"

"Grandpa!" the girl, Rebecca, cried happily, and she ran toward the old professor. Soon they were embracing each other, the tears of joy streaming down their cheeks. "Oh Grandpa! I thought I would never see you again!"

"I'm here now Rebecca." The old professor said, hugging his granddaughter, "I'm here now." The team looked upon this joyful reunion and there were smiles all around.

"Aww. That's so sweet!" Mai said.

"Indeed it is." Pegasus said. "Well then, let us move on, shall we?" The others nodded in agreement, but just when they started to leave…

"Wait!" the old professor called out, catching up to the team. "I didn't even get a chance to thank you!" He cheerfully shook Atem's hand. "I am Professor Arthur Hawkins. Ever since the Kyoki Wars began, I have searched long and hard for my granddaughter Rebecca, and when I found her, as a Scavenger, I have kept a close watch over her to make sure that no one ever harvests her. I saw your battle against that Hunter, and I must admit it, I am truly impressed. But what happened next really astounded me. Instead of harvesting Rebecca as I had feared, you saved her! You made her human again! In all the years I have spent in this city, I never thought this day would come! How could I ever repay you?"

"I, I appreciate your gratitude Professor Hawkins." Atem said, "I don't really need anything from you."

"Well, how about this then." Hawkins replied, "Rebecca and I will treat you to a bite to eat at The New Fighting McDonagh's Tavern. It's located in the fishing district of the Neptune Safehouse."

"The Neptune Safehouse?!" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"No way!" Honda said in excitement, "That's where **we're** heading!"

"Really?!" Rebecca said, "That's great! You're in for a big treat! They make the best seafood in all of Kyoki!" When they heard the word, 'seafood' Jonouchi and Honda both looked like a pair of hungry kids at a candy store. Atem just smirked.

"In that case, we accept!" Atem said, "Lead the way!"

"With pleasure!" Hawkins said with a wink, "Just follow me, the Safehouse is this way." And follow him they did. Thankfully for them, they didn't encounter any more splicers on the way.

Note: Whew! Now that was one heck of a battle! Next time, our heroes enter the Neptune Safehouse. They discover more secrets, and the story of Kyoki's founding is revealed. Until Next time!


	13. Chapter 13

Note: Oh, yeah! Another Plasmashock chapter fininshed! To the Rainwalker, thank you so much for your delightful review, and yes, my username really IS based on a certain mischevious race from the world of Krynn! When I made this username, I was a Dragonlance nut at the time... And thank you so much for pointing out the Hawkins spelling! I edited the previous chapter so the name of Rebecca's gandfather is spelled properly. I look forward to hearing more reviews from you and many other fans, especially with my other stories as well as this one! Anyway, Our heroes arrive at the Neptune Safehouse, and the story of Kyoki's conception is revealed. A few more characters are going to be added here! Who are they? Time to find out! Enjoy!

**Chapter 13: The Neptune Safehouse**

"Well, here we are." Hawkins said as he and Rebecca led the team toward a metal door in a forking tunnel. "To your right-hand side is a tunnel leading to the freezers of the Atlantis Fisheries. The Neptune Safehouse lies just beyond this door in front of you." He inserts a code number on a computer installed on the door, and soon, the door slid open. Beyond the door, Atem and Jonouchi marveled at the Safehouse within. It was like the Asclepius Safehouse, but it resembled a city found at the coast. The architecture reminded them of beach houses, all surrounded by a large glass dome that showed the undersea world.

"Wow!" Jonouchi said, "So this is the Neptune Safehouse!"

"Professor Hawkins," Atem asked, "where in this Safehouse is the New Fighting McDonagh's Tavern located?"

"Hm?" Hawkins said in confusion, before it quickly dawned on him. "Oh! So you boys are surface dwellers? Well then, it's a good thing we've met! Like most residents of Kyoki, I know my way around almost any place in the city, including all the Safehouses! Just follow my lead, but don't rush. There are plenty of sights to see down here." Atem and Jonouchi simply nodded, and willed their plasmids to hiding, thus assuming the appearance of normal humans once again. Then they, along with the rest of the team, entered the streets of the Safehouse, guided by Hawkins and his granddaughter. The two childhood friends couldn't help but look around in amazement. There was an open market, displaying all sorts of edible fish caught fresh from the sea. There was also whole street dedicated to various religions found all over the world, ranging from Christianity to Judaism, Hinduism to Buddhism, and many other known faiths.

"This is incredible." Atem mused, "All those faiths… gathered peacefully in one location!"

"You won't ever find a place like this in the rest of Kyoki," Honda explained, "It's a physical testament of what life in this city used to be… before Ryu Mutou went mad."

Jonouchi suddenly takes hold of his friend's shoulder. "Hey Atem!" he said excitedly, "Look over there! I think this is something you'll like!" Atem's eyes followed where the sandy blonde was pointing, and they widened at what he saw. In fact, he was like a child at a candy store. Among the temple/stores, there was one in particular that displayed all sorts of items, all of them concerning the Pharaonic faith, the religion of Ancient Egypt. Without saying a single word, the crimson-eyed youth ran toward the shop, with an obvious look of excitement on his face.

"H-hey!" Mai shouted in surprise, "Where are you going?!"

"Don't mind him, Mai." Jonouchi said with a grin, "Atem is devout worshipper of the Egyptian Gods—and proud of it, I must add. Believe it or not, his bedroom back on the surface had a shelf filled to the brim with Egyptian artifacts. Heck, he even had a statue of Osiris stored in his own personal Shinto shrine!"

Mai blinked once and asked, "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope." Jonouchi said, shaking his head. "As a matter of fact, that large pyramid pendant he's wearing happens to be one of his treasures."

The violet-eyed beauty gave a playful smile. "Interesting…"

Meanwhile, Atem was busy looking around the Egyptian temple shop. All around him, there were papyrus paintings, Pharaonic New Age books, statues of Egyptian gods and goddesses, jewelry decorated with their images, and even altars and incense dedicated to them. There was no doubt that the crimson-eyed youth was delighted by what he saw. It didn't take long, though, before a soft voice broke him out of his trance. "You must be new to this place." The voice said, revealing to be that of a woman's. Atem turned around to see a young woman in her twenties. She had tan skin, and deep blue eyes, and from under a beautiful, white flowing veil, Atem could see straight black hair. The veil was held in place with a gold band, which was decorated with an Eye of Horus symbol seen on her forehead. She was wearing a beautiful white strapless dress, with a gold belt on her slim waist and what looked like white dress shoes. A gold necklace hung snugly around her neck; it too was displaying an Eye of Horus symbol, much like the front of his pyramid pendant. "Welcome." The woman said with a small smile. "I am Ishizu Ishtar, the owner of this shop, and the High Priestess of Isis."

"High Priestess?" Atem gasped, "Of Isis? Oh, it's an honor to meet you! I'm Atem Kakita."

"Why, it's a pleasure to meet you too." Ishizu said, "By the looks of that pendant around your neck, you must be fond of the Age of Pharaohs."

"More than that." Atem said, "I have actually worshiped the gods of Egypt since as long as I can remember."

"I see." Ishizu replied, "Is there anything I can do for you?" Atem looked around until he suddenly laid eyes on a collection of small pendants. Each pendant had a different Egyptian God as a decoration, but they all had something in common: In the center, there was a rectangle with round half-circles on the top and bottom. Attached directly below that shape was a horizontal line, and the space inside the shape was a blank slate.

"What about these pendants?" Atem asked.

"Oh these?" Ishizu said, looking over at the pendants, then turning back at the crimson-eyed youth. "These cartouche pendants can be custom made for the customer. We take their names, translate them into hieroglyphs, and etch them in the pendants."

"Then I'll take the one with the Horus Falcon." Atem said.

"Good choice." Replied the High Priestess, taking out a pen and a piece of paper. "Just write down your name and I'll let Rishid do the rest." Atem did just that, and gave the paper back to her. "Rishid!" she called, "I am in need of your aid."

"As you wish Isis." Replied a deep male voice from the back. Before long, a hulking young man in a white robe, whom Atem assumed was Rishid, came out. He was bald with only a black ponytail on the back of his head, and he had a string of hieroglyphs carved on the left side of his face. He stared at the crimson-eyed youth with piercing blue-violet eyes, and a serious expression.

"Rishid, this is Atem, our new customer." Ishizu introduced. "He has requested for this cartouche pendant and I want you to etch his name on it."

"It will be my pleasure." Rishid said with a bow, then turned toward Atem. "This will only take a moment, so please be patient."

"You don't mind if I watch, do you?" Atem asked.

Rishid only gave a small smile. "Not at all." And with that, he and Ishizu went straight to work. All the while, Atem watched with fascination. Yet as Rishid started etching in the hieroglyphs, Atem noticed a sad look on Ishizu's face.

"Is something wrong Ishizu?" he asked.

The High Priestess looked up in surprise, then shook her head smiling. "Oh, it's nothing." She said. "Don't worry about it." Atem suspected otherwise of course, but he didn't want to put any pressure on her just to get an answer, so he kept his mouth shut. Finally, after a few minutes…

"It is finished." Rishid said, handing the pendant to Ishizu.

"Here you go." she said, giving the pendant to Atem, "That will be 400,000 yen." Atem, who was glad that they use the Japanese currency, took out his wallet. But once he finished counting his cash, his excitement turned into dismay; he only has 40,000 yen. With a sad sigh, he turned to the High Priestess.

"I'm sorry… but I'm afraid that all your hard work was for nothing." He said, holding out the pendant, "I don't have enough money."

Ishizu looked at the crimson-eyed youth with pity. Then, to his astonishment, she took both hands and held his own, all with a smile. "In that case, consider this cartouche pendant a gift from the temple."

"W-what?" Atem stuttered, "Really?"

"Of course." Ishizu replied kindly, "I normally wouldn't give any of my products away for free like this, but for you I'll make an exception. May the gods of Egypt watch over you, always."

Atem shed tears of joy as he clutched his new pendant. "Oh Ishizu, you don't how much this means to me! Thank you!" and with that, he puts on the pendant, tucking it into his shirt. As he left to rejoin his friends, Ishizu became sad once more.

Only one name came out of her mouth. "Marik…"

* * *

"So this is the New Fighting McDonagh's Tavern." Jonouchi said upon the team's arrival to what looked like a nice-looking fishing cabin. "Seems like a cozy place to spend the night."

"It is a cozy place Jonouchi Boy." Pegasus said smiling, "Even for someone like little ol' me!"

"Yeah, very cozy!" Blossom piped up cheerfully.

Honda turned to the side, and his face lit up with joy. "Hey guys, look! That's Aunt Julie over there!" Everyone looked to where Honda was pointing. And there, standing in front of a group of fish workers, was Julie Langford. Immediately Honda rushed forward, calling out, "Aunt Julie!"

Julie turned around and smiled. "Honda!" she said, giving her adoptive nephew a hug, "It's good to see that you made it in one piece!"

"Ah, Dr. Langford! So this young man is your nephew, eh?" Hawkins said, "What a delightful surprise!"

"Good to see you again Professor Hawkins." Julie said, shaking the professor's hand. Soon Rebecca stepped forward, surprising the pretty scientist to no end.

"Hi Dr. Langford!" Rebecca said.

"Rebecca?!" Julie gasped, "Y-you're human again? But… but how is that possible?!"

"Hee hee, these guys came over and saved me." Rebecca said, pointing to the team. "And they brought me back to Grandpa!"

"Hello Julie. Looks like we meet again." Atem said with a smile.

"What's up?" Jonouchi said with a thumbs-up.

"Atem! Jonouchi!" Julie exclaimed happily, "In all of my life, I never expected that you would turn out to be heroes! Maybe you have what it takes to find the legendary Ace in the Hole!"

"WE'VE GOT ONE!" a loud voice proclaimed, interrupting the reunion. Everyone turned just in time to see a fisherman gathering his crew to pull in a large tuna—which was swimming in full view, right outside the glass dome nearby! "PULL 'EM IN, DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" exclaimed the leading fisherman. He had tan skin and spiky black hair held in a blue and white headband. A short sleeveless sky-blue robe wrapped around his muscular body, and a pair of blue shorts could be seen underneath. Japanese-style sandals completed his getup, and from what the others could see, he had a scar on his cheek. The team watched as he tugged on the rope attached to the net. Other fishers grabbed on to help, pulling as hard as they could. It was truly an intense tug-of-war of fishermen vs. fish, and the tuna tried hard to escape the net. It even slammed against the glass window on occasion; so hard, in fact, that it was a miracle that the window did not shatter on impact. Eventually, though, the line grew smaller and smaller with each tug, dragging the captive tuna with it, until it disappeared from behind the window. Jonouchi had barely stepped forward for a closer look, when suddenly the giant tuna reappeared with a loud splash… from the large pool on the inside! The young fisherman and his crew pulled one last time, until in the end, man triumphed over beast. The tuna flopped helplessly on the floor and the fishers let out a cheer. "Well done, my friends!" the leading fisherman said to his crew. "Another fine catch for the Neptune fish market! Now let's head on over to the New Fighting McDonagh's; it's time to celebrate!" Again the crew cheered aloud, and soon they all went over to the Tavern.

"Whoa!" Jonouchi finally said, "Did you see that?! Man, it was so exciting! I'll never look at fishing the same way again."

"I don't know about you Jonouchi," Honda said, "but I think this is our cue to enter the Tavern too."

"Honda is right." Mai agreed, "And besides, I'm getting hungry after all I've been through today." No sooner than she finished her sentence than the stomachs of Jonouchi and Honda both decided to announce their need to the world. And very loudly I might add.

"Oh boy," Jonouchi said, clutching his empty stomach, "Now that you mention it…" He and Honda looked at each other.

"RACE YA!" they both said, and they were zooming right into the Tavern.

"Sheesh!" Julie said with a smile, "Now I've got **two** bottomless pits on the move!"

"Well, at least your nephew has a new friend, now." Atem reassured. "Let's go join them before they eat everything."

* * *

Inside the tavern, Hawkins led the team to the Tavern's famous sushi restaurant, Tsunami. It was crowded with guests and workers alike, all having a good time chatting, arm wrestling, and the like. The atmosphere was made even livelier with the festive mood brought by the fish workers. There was even a bar, with several sushi chefs preparing dishes in the open, and a TV showing the latest news in Kyoki. It was here where Atem and his friends took their seat. It didn't take long before their sushi chef arrived. "Hello, and welcome to Tsunami!" he greeted, "I'm Ryouta Kajiki, and I'll be your show-stopping sushi chef for the day. What kind of sushi would you like?"

Everyone just stared at Ryouta in amazement, and in recognition. Atem was the first to speak. "You… you're the fishermen that caught that tuna a few minutes ago!"

"You saw me and my crew in action?" Ryouta said, "Well, it's all in a day's work! You guys were very lucky to bear witness this great battle of man and fish!"

"Yeah, you were incredible!" Jonouchi said. "I've never seen anything like it before!"

"Neither have I." Atem said, earning a confused look from the young fisherman. "My friend and I are from the surface," Atem explained, "so this is the first time we've seen fishing of this dimension."

Ryouta let out a hearty laugh. "I see! Now that I think of it, I haven't seen you around here before. Although…" He leaned toward the crimson-eyed youth. "You somehow remind me of…"

"Someone you know?" Atem finished, "Yeah, a lot of people have told me that ever since I came here."

"Well, in any case," Ryouta said, "My crew have caught a whole lot of big fish in our time in Kyoki, but that tuna was the biggest catch yet. So to celebrate, all type of tuna sushi are on special tonight!"

"All right then," Hawkins said, "We'll have the tuna special."

"Yeah, and I'd like that fatty tuna!" Rebecca said.

Ryouta basically did a double take when he saw the girl. "Heh heh, surprised?" Hawkins asked, "She's not a Scavenger anymore,"—he points to Atem and his four companions—"and you have these people to thank!"

The young fisherman blinked once, then said, "Well I'll be…" it didn't take long for a smile to appear on his face. "Ha ha ha! That gives yet another reason to celebrate! I'll make the sushi extra special for you!" And with that, he went straight to work, as another worker served drinks. As Ryouta started cutting up the fish, Atem decided that this is a good time to get some explanations.

"Professor Hawkins, Can I ask you something?" he asked.

"Of course." Hawkins replied, "What do you want to ask about?"

"How did it all start?" Atem queried, "What inspired Ryu Mutou to create Kyoki? What was it like before all of this? What happened that made him go insane?"

Hawkins stared for a while, before he let out a sigh. "You really have come to the right man to ask these questions. I happen to know Ryu Mutou personally. His father, Sugoroku Mutou, and I have been longtime friends. Sugoroku was born to a Japanese American family, just before the beginning of World War II. We were only children when he and his family were sent to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I met him at that camp, and our families became fast friends in spite of the prejudice of others. It was that friendship that helped him endure the hardships until the end of that war, and even after that we all remained the best of friends. As time went by, we each found love, got married, and around 1958, we started having children of our own. As you might have guessed, Sugoroku's first child was Ryu Mutou. Life was good for Mutou, until the late 1960's. At this time, there were tons of hippies protesting against the Vietnam War, and African Americans and other minorities fighting against segregation and the prejudice that kept them from gaining equal rights. The American government had corrupt officials in those days. Many police officers were ordered to do things like spray water from a high powered hose, send snarling dogs after groups of activists, even mace an individual protestor. In some areas, hate crimes were just as common, and not just toward the black population. One small gang made a terrible assault on the Mutou family. The attack was so devastating that in the end most of Ryu Mutou's family was slaughtered. The only ones who survived were his father, his sister Ai, and of course, himself. He was only eight years old."

"That's terrible!" Jonouchi said.

"Although Mutou admired the country's capitalism and the ideals of freedom and equality, he nevertheless resented the American government for its tyrants, so when he was a teenager in the 70's, he convinced his father and sister to move with him to Japan. Sugoroku and Ai came with him, if only to keep an eye out for him. While the paperwork was being set up in preparation of their new residence, they decided to wait in China until it was finished. It was a short stay, but already Mutou was in for a rude surprise. China's Cultural Revolution was getting into full swing, and many men and women, young and old, were persecuted for embracing the freedom of democracy, and for the culture the Communists were attempting to wipe out. Many of them were made into martyrs. This made Mutou upset, because it reminded him of the world from which he thought he had escaped. Worse yet, the Communists tried to deny it on public television! His resentment toward the American government was great, but his resentment toward the Communist ideology far outweighed it. As soon as the paperwork was done, the Mutous left to Japan immediately. However, the past events had already made a big impact on his life. In every way they shaped his beliefs to what they have become. And with this belief came inspiration…"

**Professor Hawkins knocked on the door to the new Mutou household. After hearing that Sugoroku had moved to Japan with his family, he just had to make a visit. The door opened, revealing a man with spiky tri-colored hair held back within a bandana, a black mustache and beard, and red-violet eyes. As always he was wearing a T-shirt and overalls, a fact that made Hawkins chuckle to himself. The man, Sugoroku, gave a delightful smile. "Arthur! It's good to see you again!"**

"**Good to see you too, Sugoroku!" Hawkins replied, giving his friend a hug.**

"**Come on in! Make yourself at home!" Sugoroku said, ushering in his friend. Hawkins entered without hesitation. Inside, he found that the rooms were delightfully quaint. In the kitchen area, he could see Ai, a pretty girl with short black hair and blue eyes, humming to herself as she was cooking a meal.**

"**Hello Ai!" greeted Hawkins, and she looked up from her cooking and smiled.**

"**Oh, hello Mr. Hawkins!" she said.**

"**Do you know where Ryu is?" Hawkins asked, "I just have to say hi to him too!"**

"**Oh, about that." Ai said thoughtfully, "My brother is upstairs in his bedroom. He's been very busy lately; he said something about a 'hidden sanctuary' or something like that."**

_**A hidden sanctuary?**_** Hawkins thought. **_**For what?**_** No doubt this made him curious. So he decided to go up and see the boy. He climbed the stairs, and made his approach to the door that led to Ryu's bedroom. He was surprised to find that there was silence from behind that door. He knocked once, then twice. At first, there was no answer. Then finally, he heard a voice. "Come in." Slowly, Hawkins opened the door. There was Ryu Mutou, sitting in front of a drawing board, sketching something. The professor was surprised to see the teenager in an expensive business suit, for he always remembered him as a boy of the middle class. The young Mutou looked over, and smirked at him. "Arthur Hawkins!" he said, "Funny how you decided to pay my family a visit today, you're just the man I wanted to see!"**

"**Really?" Hawkins asked.**

"**Yes, really." Mutou replied, "You are one of the few people I can trust with this secret. Come and take a look at this!" Hawkins hesitated at first, but soon stepped to the drawing that Mutou was working on. On a large piece of grid paper was a cluster of skyscraper-shaped towers, drawn with unbelievable detail, and neatly arranged. There were more drawings on display as well, depicting details of the interior of each building.**

"**Why Ryu!" Hawkins gasped, "This is an impressive work of art!"**

"**It's more than just artwork, Mr. Hawkins." Mutou said, "**_**This**_** is the blueprint of my future paradise!"**

"**Paradise…? W-wait! Are you serious?!"**

**Mutou stood up and gave that confident smirk. "Indeed I am."**

"**Then what inspired you to create something like this?" Hawkins asked.**

**Mutou's expression became serious. "Do you know the general definition of a 'parasite'?"**

**Hawkins though for a minute, before replying, "Well, a parasite is basically a creature that takes what it desires from a host without giving anything back."**

"**Exactly." Mutou said, "From what I have experienced, there are parasites walking among the human race. Sometimes, they will pose as one of the less fortunate. And like most of those sad souls, they'll ask for the doctor to heal them for free and the farmer to feed them out of charity. How greatly these parasites differ from the truly unfortunate, who only seek the means to rise out of their miserable circumstances… and how little these same parasites differ from the **_**pervert**_**, who prowls the streets looking for a victim he can ravish for his grotesque amusement." He crossed his arms, looking out the window. "But more often than not, many of those parasites are found in seats of government power, and just as much, they tend to prey on the less fortunate. I know this for sure, because I saw their acts of carnage with my own eyes, especially in China and parts of the United States. Even Japan has its share of government parasites in the past; World War II is the perfect example."**

"**I understand exactly what you mean Ryu," Hawkins said, "But what does it have to do with this city?"**

**Mutou turned back to the professor. "Everything, Mr. Hawkins. This is where my ideals will be realized."**

"**Your ideals?" Hawkins asked.**

"**I believe in gods and goddesses, and I acknowledge their presence like I always have." Mutou explained, "But now, I see them as nothing more than invisible men and women in the sky, the earth, and the sea. For I have found a power that is truly greater than myself: a combination of individual efforts, a Great Chain of Industry that unites even the gods. But it is only when an individual struggles in their own interest so they can overcome their own hardships that the Chain pulls society in the right direction. The Chain is too powerful and too mysterious for any government to guide. Any corrupt man who says otherwise either has his hand in your pocket or a pistol aimed at your forehead."**

"**But what about the people who can't overcome hardships by themselves, like the poor?" Asked Hawkins.**

"**Heh, heh, Mr. Hawkins, there is a famous saying that fits well with the Great Chain: 'Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; **_**Teach**_** a man to fish, and you'll feed him for a lifetime.' The poor and the needy are victims of circumstance, so the best way to help them, from my view, is to give them the means to help themselves. Freedom is the key, for freedom is the foundation of the Great Chain, and of the society I plan to build. In order to take part in the Great Chain, the greatest minds must be free from bondage, both physically and mentally. As you would know, Mr. Hawkins, many of the greatest minds belong to the scientists, the biologists, the environmentalists, the artists, and the performers. It doesn't matter if they're rich or poor, for either way, the government has always tried to keep them under its thumb. This is where my city comes in. Here, they will be allowed to express their gift much more freely. Here, every individual will rise to greatness, all without a trace of selfishness in their hearts."**

"**Why, that's incredible Ryu!" Hawkins said.**

"**And you couldn't have come at a better time, my friend." Mutou replied, placing a hand on the professor's shoulder, "I need you to help me build my city. Help me gather the raw materials and the best architects in the world, for it would take a monumental effort to make it real!"**

"**It would be my pleasure!" Hawkins said, shaking the teen's hand. "Where is it going to be built?"**

"**I knew you'd ask that. It may sound impossible, but it's going to be built at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Right at the center, in fact."**

"**T-the Pacific Ocean?!" gasped a flabbergasted Hawkins.**

"**Yes." Mutou said calmly, "The truth of the matter is, it's impossible to build it anywhere else. I originally intended to build it somewhere in Japan, but then I realized that if I build it anywhere on the surface, it would be an easy target for parasites, like the ones found in the CIA and Japan's DIH. Our secrecy is our shield, and the city is much safer under the sea."**

"**You know, that makes much more sense once you said it." Hawkins said, "All right! Let's get started!" The two of them were about to leave the bedroom with the blueprints when Hawkins suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, what are you going to name this city?"**

**Mutou had a thoughtful look, before finally, he smiled. "It will be named Kyoki, which means 'rapture' in Japanese. It will be for the rapture it will bring to its citizens."**

"And that was how Kyoki came to be built, here at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean back in 1977." Hawkins finished. "Of course, Mutou and I weren't the only ones who oversaw the construction of this city."

"That's right." Julie said, "I was there when Kyoki was under construction."

"And so was I, though I admit I was still a small child at the time." Pegasus said.

"A year later, Kyoki opened its doors to the world's greatest minds, and before long the city's population numbered several thousand by the start of the 1980's." Hawkins said.

"Whoa! That many?" Jonouchi gasped.

"That's what Aunt Julie told me." Honda said. "Even I found it hard to imagine with all that's going on today."

"I didn't find it that hard," Mai said, "My parents moved to Kyoki in 1983, about three years before I was born. Everything was what Ryu Mutou had envisioned… at least at first."

"So how did all this misery began?" Atem asked, "How did Kyoki become the nightmare it is now?"

"I'll tell you that one." Ryouta said suddenly. "And I'll also let you in on a little secret. Do you know how all those religious items came to Kyoki?"

"No." Atem admitted, "How did they get here?"

"They're smuggled into this place." Ryouta said.

Atem, Jonouchi, Honda and Mai all stared at the fisherman with shock. "Smuggled?!" Atem gasped.

"That's right," Replied Ryouta, "and I know this for sure. Because my crew and I aren't just fishers… we're also smugglers!"

Note: Whoa, now that's one heck of a secret coming from a fisherman! Hear the story of Kyoki's smugglers and more in the next chapter! Stupid writer's block is giving me a hard time with Blue Eyes White Mermaid... Until next time!


	14. Chapter 14

Note: Wow, when it comes to this story, my muse in on a roll! Rainwalker, I have no problem think up plots with Plasmashock; my big brother helps me. As for Ryouta Kajiki, yep, he's a character from Yu-Gi-Oh, as he's known as Mako Tsunami in the English dub. As for Ryu Mutou's sister, you'll know her fate later in this story. And thanks so much for the advice on how to break a writer's block, this authoress needs it! That's right, **authoress**. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier Rainwalker, but you can call me Miss Kender20. Anyway, for you and for all the other fans of my stories, it's time for the introduction of this chapter. In this chapter, the story of the smugglers is revealed, as well as their leader's role in what would become the downfall of Kyoki. I must mention this ahead of time that I made a Bioshock character, Peach Wilkins, a female in this story... I always considered "Peach" a very female name, thanks to the princess from the Super Mario series. Sullivan, who is also from the Bioshock game, will also get a different appearance, to match the modern day setting of this story. Finally, Frank Fontaine will be replaced with a certain Yu-Gi-Oh villain from the Doma, or Waking of Dragons, season. Remember the earlier changes that I've mentioned in the earlier chapters, like the fact that I replaced "Atlas" with "Raiden"? For those who have already played through Bioshock, I bet you're thinking, "Hey, Now it's starting to make sense!" With all that out of the way, Enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 14: A Smuggler's Tale**

Atem, Jonouchi, Honda and Mai all stared at Ryouta with disbelief. "No way…" Jonouchi said, "You? A smuggler?"

"Kinda hard to believe," Ryouta said grimly, "But yeah… we're honest fishermen by day, and smugglers by night."

Mai slams her hands on the bar, stands up and raising her voice, she says, "You're not a member of **that** fucking cartel, are you?!"

"What are you talking about Mai?!" Atem asked, shocked at her near-outburst.

"Mai is referring to the original smuggler's cartel that started it all." Honda explained, "Its founder is famous for his various business ventures—and infamous for destroying people's lives just to heighten his own power!"

"Indeed, he has caused more problems than he has solved them." Pegasus added with disgust, "He's definitely the quintessential con artist, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah! Yeah! Nasty-bad con man!" Blossom piped up with a cute little glare, blowing a raspberry to add to the effect.

"My dad used to be a part of that cartel in the past." Ryouta explained calmly, "But not anymore. Now he leads one of a few splinter groups here in the Neptune Safehouse. My cartel is one of those splinter groups, and even today my crew and I want nothing to do with that silver-tongued bastard." Mai's eyes widened in surprise, and quickly sat down.

"That cartel founder must have been an evil man if you think of him with such hatred." Atem said, "But what does he have to do with Kyoki's downfall?"

Ryouta glared, and said, "Everything. He was so cunning and devious he became Ryu Mutou's first archenemy. If Kyoki were the Garden of Eden, he was the Serpent. Long before I was born, my dad traveled to Kyoki in 1984. Back then, this city was truly a paradise. There were no safehouses, nor are there any splicers, Hunters or Scavengers. There were no priests, temples, or items of any religion either, for science, art, and industry were the main foundations of Kyoki's society. Nevertheless, there is tolerance toward religion. Ryu Mutou said that all of its citizens are free to believe in whatever faith they have, and that there is no need for symbols and icons to uphold them. It was like this since its founding up until that point, but as it turns out, even paradise had its share of dark secrets. Dad always loved to go fishing, and he came down here to try out a new way to catch tuna and other denizens of the deep. Now it so happened that he was assigned to work his trade in Dragon King's Bounty with a group of low class fish workers led by this southern belle from America, Peach Wilkins by name. In spite of the very low income, Dad was happy with his lot in life; the rest of the crew, not so much. And it didn't take long for him to find out why."

"**Hey, my friends! Why the long faces?" Kajiki shouted cheerfully to his crewmates, who were busy cutting up scores of fish near the fishing pool by their cabin and looking miserable while doing it. "Don't you like to go fishing? C'mon you need to think positive, have fun with what you're doing!"**

**A middle-aged woman rose up from her work and snorted grumpily. "Easy for **_**you**_** to say Kajiki." She said with a southern accent. "Your reason for comin' down here is much different from ours! You wanted to discover a different way to go fishin'!"**

"**Well, what's your reason then, Peachy?" asked Kajiki.**

**The woman, Peach Wilkins, gave him a glare before she explained, "We all came down here, figurin' we'd be a part of Ryu Mutou's 'Great Chain.' Hmph! Turns out **_**his**_** chain was made o' gold, while **_**our**_** are the kind with them iron balls around the ankles. And its all thanks to those goddamn businessmen who managed to slip their way into the city with their sweet talk. I mean, Mutou ain't a bad kid, but I don't think he has enough brains in his head to pinpoint those greedy fat cats and kick 'em out like he was supposed to. So now he's up in Fort Frolic banging on pop stars and fashion models, with bureaucrats abusin' their power from right behind his back, while we're down here in this dump yankin' guts outta fish, with no way to rise up in the economic ladder!" Suddenly, a smooth tenor voice chuckled from a dark corner, grabbing the attention of the crew. "Who's there?!" Peach shouted angrily. The chuckle continued, and soon a figure stepped forward. His face remained hidden in the shadows, but it was obviously a young man with a thin build, dressed in a Chinese-style robe, which was deep turquoise decorated with dragon motifs, and a strange, circle-star symbol on the chest.**

"**You poor fools…" the man said, "Just like many of your kind, you come here to Kyoki, thinking you would be captains of industry. But you forget. Even in a society of the world's elite, someone had to scrub the toilets. How else can you explain that there are no robots being built to do the dirty work you're doing now?"**

"**Who are you?!" Peach roared, "What do you want from us?!"**

"**Don't be alarmed, my lady." the man replied, "I was just like you at one time; I've worked a day in my life. But I have managed to pull my way out of a life of drudgery and into the lap of luxury. If you want, I can help all of you do the same."**

**Peach gave him a look of surprise, as did all the other fish workers who were listening in. "You really mean it?" she asked.**

"**Of course. Would I lie to you?" the man said, "What is your name?"**

"**I'm Peach Wilkins, sugah, and I came from the heart of Texas in the US of A." Peach replied.**

"**Very well Miss Wilkins," the man said, "meet me at Atlantis Fisheries at 11 p.m. and bring some members of your crew with you. I have the perfect money-making job, just for you." And with that, the man walked away.**

"**Are you sure it's a good idea to trust that guy?" asked Kajiki, his voice showing his suspicion. The fish lady put a hand on his broad shoulder with a reassuring smile.**

"**Hey, it's not like things are gonna get any worse!" she said.**

"So Dad decided to follow Peach and her crew to the newly built Atlantis Fisheries that night." Ryouta continued, "Once there, the man introduced himself as Dartz, and told them, 'Even though the people of this city are free to believe in their own religion, items that uphold those faiths are prohibited. This is because Ryu Mutou believes that you don't **need** such symbols to express it. But as you know, there are a lot of people here who feel that their lives are empty without something… tangible to strengthen their faith. That's where **you** come in.' And that was how the first smuggler's ring was formed. You see back in those days, contact with the surface is extremely limited. Mutou wanted to keep his city a secret, yet he also wanted to keep it ahead of the times. The only imports allowed in Kyoki were technological advances and cultural trends, and even they had to get past Mutou's council, who nevertheless had an open mind. That's why you're able to see this place as a city adapted for the present day, but anyway, back to the story. The smugglers' wages were better than their day jobs, and Dartz seemed like a nice enough man at first glance; he used some of the money to build the Atlantis Home for the Poor, a place where the lower class can stay. But even Dad had to admit it, he was a scary guy at times. Then around Midsummer's day, he invested in the research of two scientists who had just made an incredible discovery: the substance that came to be known as Nagi."

"Nagi?" Atem asked.

"Together with those scientists, he formed a new business organization called Orichalcos Futuristics. There, with the help of a third scientist, Dr. Yi Suchong, they began making the first plasmids and gene tonics, which gives humans supernatural powers." Atem tensed up at Suchong's name as Ryouta continued, "When the plasmids were released to the public, it was an instant success. Three days after that, Mutou and his General contractor, Bill McDonagh, went over to check out this new trend…"

**Ryu Mutou, now in his twenties, and an Irish man with a thick mustache looked over the crowds of people gathering at one of the stores which was selling the new plasmid and gene tonic products.**

**"Are you sure you don't want us to regulate this new plasmid business, Mr. Mutou?" the Irish man asked, "I mean, there could be some side effects to this stuff, blindness, insanity—maybe even worse, l-like _death_!"**

"**I understand your concern Mr. McDonagh," Mutou replied in reassurance, "but what good is our ideology if it is not tested to its limits? The market doesn't respond like a baby, crying at the first sign of displeasure. The market is patient, like the monks who travel upon the long and difficult road to enlightenment. Even under the ocean, patience is a virtue, so we must be patient as well."**

**McDonagh let out a sigh and said, "As you wish Mr. Mutou. Just don't say I didn't warn you."**

"Within three years, Nagi revolutionized Kyoki. More of the population began splicing up more and more plasmids and gene tonics in order to make themselves better. They demand for the substance grew as a result; at that time, the supply was rather small. Orichalcos Futuristics responded, and in 1985, they created the first Scavengers, who were referred to as Nagi Factories at the time. The supply began to multiply soon after."

"Did they know about those kids back then?" Jonouchi asked.

"No." Ryouta replied, "They were kept secret until 2002. Even my dad and I didn't know it until that year. Even so, Nagi became a big part of life down here, all thanks to the smugglers who made it possible. But as more and more people started using plasmids, the long-term effects became more apparent. It was discovered then that there are two different kinds of people in the city: those who are compatible with Nagi, and those who are not. The ones who are not compatible are the ones who risk becoming splicers. It was a fact that Dartz quickly used to his advantage, and it was then that his evil intentions were revealed. The Poorhouses he made in Amaterasu Square began to double as recruitment centers, and he forced many lower class citizens to overdose on Nagi, taking away their free will, and transforming them into an army of splicers. But that's not all. He supports families of every status, giving them everything they want and need in exchange for some favor or another. Then when he's finished with them, he betrays them with no remorse. Some were left financially crippled, other were wounded physically or mentally. Some even had their homes destroyed. Many others died, sometimes by his own hand. Those who managed to survive often described him as someone similar to the devil straight from the pages of _Faust_. As his wealth and influence grew, so did the casualties. Finally in 1987, Ryu Mutou finally became aware of Dartz for who he really is: a political threat, his ideological antithesis, and most importantly the source of his people's misery."

**Mutou and some police officers were in the main office, along with a council of advisors, taking part in what would be their most important meeting. McDonagh was there, along with a plump African American officer who originally came from New York. "Something must be done about Dartz!" Mutou said to the council, "While we were busy buying buildings and fish futures, he was cornering the market with genotypes and nucleotide sequences. And as he did so, he was killing innocent people, demolishing homes, cheating families out of the things that would fulfill the dreams of children, and even changing innocent members of the lower class into monstrous slaves. Kyoki is changing before our very eyes! Not only is the Great Chain pulling away from us, people are getting hurt in the process!" he paused before he said with determination, "Perhaps, for their sake, it's time to give it a tug." The council nodded in agreement, and Mutou turned toward the African American officer. "The fate of Kyoki's citizens lies in your capable hands Sullivan. We are depending on you, as the chief of police, to put Dartz and his smugglers to justice."**

**The officer, Sullivan, simply replied in a deep bass voice, "Not to worry Mr. Mutou. I won't let you down."**

"Though they didn't realize it yet, that was the beginning of the War of Smugglers, which predated the Kyoki Wars. This war lasted for sixteen years, especially throughout the 1990's. In the early years of that war, it didn't start out as a war. Police officers arrested many groups of smugglers working in different parts of Dragon King's Bounty. Sullivan, the chief of police, made it his personal mission to take down Dartz by any means necessary, and with reluctance, he even resorted to torturing smugglers in order to find the main cartel. Unfortunately, Dartz was even smarter than they thought… "

"**I'm closing in on the whole ring Mr. Mutou." Sullivan reported.**

"**Good work Sullivan." Mutou replied. "Once we get the location there will finally be justice for the people of this city."**

"**Yeah, I'd pat myself on the back too," Sullivan said, "But let's face it… these aren't exactly bloodthirsty street gangs we're talking about. Kyoki's full of poets, artists, environmentalists and soccer players, not hired ninjas. But that leader of theirs, Dartz… he seems to know his way around a tight squeeze. He keeps his pretty nose clean, but not so clean that the right people don't know that he's not to be trifled with."**

**Mutou turned his back towards the chief of police and stared out the window to the undersea world outside. "So, its seems that Dartz is somebody to watch. Up until now, I thought he was just a mere menace to be convicted and executed. But from what you're telling me, Sullivan, he always manages to be where the evidence isn't. Is that correct?"**

"**Yes Sir, it is." Sullivan replied.**

"**I thought so. That means he's the most dangerous type of villain… the kind with a vision."**

"Then one day, in the early autumn of 1997, Mutou started to change. He enacted the death penalty despite the disapproval of the council. I was still a small child when that happened, and Dad was beginning to realize that life as a smuggler is about to become even more dangerous. Especially when Dartz revealed even more of his cutthroat personality."

**Dartz, his face still in the shadow, came up toward Peach's crew. "Listen well, Smugglers." He said with a hint of displeasure, "Ryu Mutou is starting to take this battle upon himself by bringing about the death penalty. I am disappointed in all of you for letting this happen. So from now on, 80% of the sales will be cut from your wages."**

**The other members of the crew gasped in shock. "What?!" exclaimed one smuggler, "Y-you can't do that! That's not fair!" Immediately, Dartz grabbed the smuggler by the collar and lifted him off the ground.**

**"Life isn't fair Togashi." He replied calmly, though his anger is evident in his tone of voice. "You have a problem with that?" The smuggler choked, before Dartz growled, "Now listen carefully, if you disobey my orders, then Heaven forbid I _will_ turn you in to Mutou myself." He dropped the smuggler onto the floor, and shouted to the other smugglers, "The same goes with all of you! Now get back to work!"**

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**Later that night, Kajiki and a few other fishers were packing their things, when Peach Wilkins and her assistant, a young man with sunglasses, street clothes and an American Flag bandana, happened to come by. "Kajiki?!" Peach whispered, "What are you doin'?!"**

"**I'm leaving Peachy." Kajiki said solemnly. "Once I find someplace safe, I'm going to set up my own smuggling ring."**

"**Me too." Another smuggler said.**

"**Are you crazy?" cried the assistant quietly, "You can't leave the cartel! Dartz will find you!"**

"**Ah, fuck Dartz." Said a third smuggler confidently.**

"_**You**_** fuck Dartz!" the assistant insulted in anger, "I'm telling you, if you try to escape the ring, **_**Dartz will fuck you**_**!"**

"**Keith is right, Kajiki." Peach said, "It's too dangerous!"**

**The fisherman looked up at Peach with determination. "I never told you this until this very moment Peachy… but I'm a father now. My son has just turned six, and if I stay any longer in this cartel, I'll end up putting him in danger. So for his sake, I'm quitting this job and packing my bags."**

**Peach gave a worried look, and after a moment of silence, she sadly said to him, "Then I guess there's no changin' your mind. Good luck Kajiki. And be careful."**

"Dad was one of the lucky ones who made it out of the cartel without getting caught." Ryouta finished, "The years passed by, and as Ryu Mutou fell from grace into insanity, the Safehouses were starting to emerge. When the Neptune Safehouse was built, Dad took me here and we made it our home. And they weren't called Safehouses for nothing! The prying eyes and ears of Mutou and Raiden can never penetrate the electrical barriers and reach the inside. In this way, all the refugees here are able to live their lives without fear of persecution. And my crew can smuggle in religious items without risking our lives."

"Where is your father now, Ryouta?" Atem asked.

"When the Kyoki Wars started two years ago, My dad told me he was going out to help some friends who were going to take part in a raid against Mutou's soldiers." Ryouta explained, then he suddenly grew sad. "I haven't seen him again since. I don't even know if he's dead or alive."

"Have you tried asking some of the people around here?" Mai said.

"Yes I have." Ryouta said, "But even they don't know where they are, or what happened to him. With each passing day, I get more worried about him."

"…Then maybe **we** can help." Atem suggested, earning a surprised stare from the fisherman. "We're heading to Atlantis Fisheries tomorrow, and if you come with us, then maybe we can help you look for your father."

"Really?!" Ryouta said, growing excited, "You'll do that for me?!" But soon, there was a bit of worry on his face. "But who's going to take care of the sushi restaurant, or the fishing expedition?"

"Hey, I'm sure one of your crew members is capable enough to take your place until you get back." Jonouchi said. "Besides, You want to see your dad again, right?"

Ryouta looked at the sandy blonde in amazement. Then, not only did he smile again, he let out a hearty laugh. "You're right! I may not be a Plasmund myself, but I'll be happy to come with you! Once I see him again, I'll be in your debt for life!" Ryouta quickly finished plating the sushi he was making then handed it over to the team and their guests. "Anyway, here you go! Tuna sushi fresh from the sea! Dig in my friends!"

"ALL RIGHT!" exclaimed Jonouchi and Honda with joy, "FEEDING FRENZY!" Then with chopsticks in hand, they tore into the sushi like sharks. The others just stared in bewilderment.

"AAAH!" Blossom screamed, climbing onto Pegasus' collar as she cried alligator tears, "Save me, Master, save me!! Don't let them eat me, PLEEESE!!"

"Ha ha, don't worry Blossom," Pegasus chuckled sweetly, "They're not going to eat you."

"Aw man!" Honda said happily, "Now that hit the spot!"

"Honda," Julie said, when her nephew paused in his meal. "I know this is sudden, but I have a little present for you."

"You do?" Honda asked, "What is it?"

"This!" Julie said proudly, and she took out a certain object and placed it in Honda's hand. Everyone gasped in awe.

"A Shockwave Video Phone!" Hawkins said.

"But why are you giving this to me?" Honda asked.

"Well, Honda, let's just say that you're starting to grow up." Julie said, "You're a part of your own team now. And when it comes down to it, **two** Video Phones are better than one."

"What are you talking about?" Honda asked in confusion.

Julie placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can be such a nimrod sometimes." She said with a wink and a smile, "I want you to go with Atem and his friends and accompany them in their journey."

"B-but Aunt Julie," Honda protested, "I thought you want me to escort you back to the lab in Arcadia!"

"Don't you worry about me, Sweet Cheeks!" Julie reassured, "I can head back to Arcadia on my own from here. Besides, with all the turn of events going on today, your new friends had gotten attached to you. They need you, Honda. So you should be there for them."

Honda immediately saw the wisdom in his aunt's words. Then finally he smiled. "All right Aunt Julie. Thanks."

"Well, since you're planning to spend the night," Hawkins said, getting up from his seat. "Let me get you some rooms, and I'll make sure they're a five-star rating!"

"Thank you again Professor Hawkins." Atem said gratefully.

"Don't mention it!" Rebecca said, "You're the ones who saved me after all! See you later!" And with that the little girl and her grandfather headed to the front desk of the Tavern, leaving the team to finish with their sushi dinner.

Note: In the next chapter, after a moment of rest, our heroes head over to Atlantis Fisheries, where they end up meeting Peach Wilkins and get an interesting request from her... one that brings excitement into the heart of Mai Kujaku. Until next time!


	15. Chapter 15

Note: A new chapter for Plasmashock... sigh, I'm so glad I got my big brother to help me. Anyway, Rainwalker, I am happy for all the advice you are giving me. After all, until now, I find it very difficult to portray scene changes within flashback mode! Once again, I edited the last chapter, and now you can tell when the scene in a flashback has changed! I'm also trying my best to overcome the 'said' syndrome. You'll see a lot of action verbs going on, even if you find the occasional 'said', mostly due to not knowing what else to write to differintiate between certain speakers. You make such a wonderful editor when it comes to the construction of writing! Now on to my story, for you and for all of my fans! A little history about a certain pair of childhood friends is revealed. Then the next morning, the adventure in Dragon King's Bounty begins! Enjoy!

**Chapter 15: Suspicious Fisher**

"Aw yeah!" Jonouchi cheered, "Now THAT's what I'm talking about!" Atem and the others had to agree with the sandy blonde once they entered one of their two rooms. It was spacious, with an appearance merging a well-made fishing lodge with a gorgeous beach house, all with a five-star rating just as Hawkins had promised.

"This room is large enough for at least four of us." Atem said as he surveyed the room, "Why don't we share it with Honda and Mai?"

"I have no problem with that, buddy!" Jonouchi replied with a grin. "Is that fine with you guys?"

"Definitely." Honda said.

"Just don't start snoring on me." Added a smirking Mai.

"Well I guess that means Blossom and I have the other room all to ourselves!" Pegasus cheerfully said.

"Yay! One on one time!" Blossom cheered.

"I'll see you tomorrow everyone!" Pegasus said to the others, "Nighty-Night!" With that, he made his departure and closed the door behind him.

"Let's get ourselves ready for bed." Atem suggested, "Tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"Sounds fine to me. I'll go take a shower." Mai replied, heading toward the bathroom.

Jonouchi put his sword to the side and let himself fall on one of the soft beds, his arms outstretched. "Ahhh, it's been a long time since I've been on a bed like this!"

"Heh Heh, aside from our many sleepovers at my house on the surface," Atem added as he started taking off his boots for the night, "it really has been a while, hasn't it?"

"You guys seem to have known each other for much longer than I have with you." Honda said.

"Yeah," Jonouchi replied, "We've been friends since we were ten years old."

"So how did you guys meet?" Honda asked.

Jonouchi rose up with a smile. "I knew you might ask that. I think it's time you get to know us a little better too." His had a serious expression as he began his story. "When I was just a little kid, my parents went through a nasty divorce. My dad was becoming an alcoholic, and my mom was fed up. So she left, taking my little sister with her."

"You had a sister?" Honda gasped in astonishment.

"Yep." Replied Jonouchi, "Mom couldn't afford to take me as well, so she left me behind with my dad. My sister and I were both devastated, because we were very close. I still remember watching the car as she and mom left. I never heard from them again since. After that, my life was miserable. I often got beat up by my dad, usually for no apparent reason. In school, I became a bit of a bully to some of the other kids. It was my way of coping. But all that changed the day I started fourth grade… the day Atem came into my life."

**"All right kids," the teacher said to the fourth grade class. "We have a new student in our school today. I want you to be on your best behavior and make him feel welcome." Ten-year-old Jonouchi was staring blankly at her, chewing his pencil out of sheer boredom. He wasn't exactly paying attention to the teacher, so he didn't hear much of her announcement. But it wasn't until he heard footsteps coming into the classroom that he looked up. The new student came in, and the sandy blonde was astonished. The boy before him had spiky black hair with red tips, and the golden lightning shaped bangs framed his face. Some strands of those bangs were standing on end, streaking his hair overall. But what astonished him the most were his crimson eyes, which were tinged with sadness as the teacher wrote his name on the chalkboard. "Go ahead, don't be shy." The teacher said kindly.**

"**H-hello." The boy said nervously, "I-I'm Atem Kakita. Nice to meet you."**

**One child started whispering to his friend, "Hey check **_**him**_** out! He's such a scaredy cat!"**

"**Yeah, what a loser!" replied the other child, and they started snickering. But Jonouchi heard the quiet conversation that was taking place, and it actually made him furious. He just wanted so badly to lunge at those kids and beat them to a pulp for making those comments, but he decided not to start a fight in the middle of class; doing so had gotten him in detention on several occasions.**

"**Very good, Atem." The teacher complimented, "Now go take your seat. Your desk is right over there by Jonouchi." Now this astonished Jonouchi to no end, as the crimson eyed boy slowly way to his desk. Apparently, ten-year-old Atem had heard the snickering coming from a nearby group of kids, and he had a hurt look on his face. As he sat down, he looked over at the sandy blonde. Jonouchi stared back for a brief moment in curiosity, before they were both interrupted by the teacher's voice, announcing the start of class. "Quiet everyone, and let's begin." **

////////////////

**At the start of lunchtime, Atem was sitting by himself at an empty table, looking sadder than ever. Most of the other children ignored him, and there was a small gang of bullies talking amongst themselves; there was no doubt that they were making fun of him. The tears began to trickle down his eyes. Jonouchi, who was sitting nearby, watched the sad scene unfold, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. For most of his life, he had taken the role of bully, picking on younger children as a way to let out his anger toward his drunken father. But because of his bullying ways, he had no friends, so whenever he was alone, he would just break down and cry… just like Atem was doing right now. That's when it suddenly dawned on the sandy blonde. Within that crimson-eyed boy, Jonouchi has finally found a kindred spirit… one that was bound to be on the receiving end of a bully's torments. His mind was made up at that very moment: He will not play the part of bully anymore. Slowly, he rose up, taking his bento box, and stepped over toward the lonely table where Atem was sitting. Setting down his lunch, Jonouchi smiled at the boy and said in a cheerful voice, "Hi there!" Immediately, Atem looks up in surprise, and Jonouchi gave him a wink. "Remember me?"**

**Atem stared at him, before his eyes widened in recognition. "You're the boy who is sitting by me in class!"**

"**That's right." Jonouchi replied, holding out his hand, "And in case you forgot, my name is Jonouchi Katsuya."**

"**Mine's Atem Kakita." Atem introduced nervously, wiping away his tears and accepting the boy's handshake. "Nice to meet you."**

"**Atem… that's a pretty cool name!"**

"**Yeah, I like it too." By then Atem was starting to smile. "It's not a Japanese name, but I think it's awesome."**

"**So where do you come from Atem?" Jonouchi asked.**

"**Oh, I'm from around here." Atem replied, "My family and I live in this huge rice paddy farm near Tokyo."**

"**Cool! Did you get to play in the mud and all that stuff?"**

**"Yep. I help my mom plant the rice and sometimes Dad would let me ride on the oxen." Atem paused, before he sighed. "They told me that after I finished third grade, they wanted me to go to a better school. That's why I transferred here." The tears once more began to build up. "I know it's my first day and all, but… already some of the other kids are laughing at me. I guess nobody wants to play with me… or be my friend."**

"**That's not true!" Jonouchi said, "It may not look like it, but there **_**are**_** a lot of kids in this school that really **_**do**_** want to hang out with you! Like me, for example!"**

**Now Atem was truly astonished. "Do you… really mean it?"**

**"Every word of it!" replied Jonouchi with a smile, "Those kids making fun of you over there, they're nothing but a bunch of jerks! If they keep bothering you, I'll help you out. Right now though, I got something to show you." He then reached into his pockets and took out a deck of cards. Then he placed the cards in front of Atem. "Check this out!" he said, and he spread out the cards face-up. On the cards were pictures of warriors and beasts, magicians and monsters.**

"**Whoa, cool!" Atem gasped in excitement, "What is that?!"**

"**It's a game called Duel Monsters." Answered Jonouchi, "You use these cards to battle against an opponent. If you want me to, I can teach you how to play it."**

"**Really?! Awesome!" Atem said as he picked up one of the cards, which had the image of the Dark Magician. "Can we start now?"**

"**Sure!" Jonouchi replied, "Let's get started!" With that, the two boys spent their lunchtime happily playing their first game of Duel Monsters.**

"And that was the start of our friendship." Jonouchi continued. "We spent a whole lot of time together, from school projects to sleepovers, and just about everything in between. And not only that, our lives started changing for the better. I turned away from a bully's life and became what you might call the class clown. Atem overcame his shyness and became more self-confident. Eventually, when we reached junior high, I gathered the courage to tell him about my personal life."

"And what happened?" Honda asked.

"Jonouchi was breaking down when he opened up to me." Atem explained, "It broke my heart knowing that my dearest friend lives with an alcoholic. So I gave him my shoulder to cry on."

"It was a simple act of kindness," Jonouchi said, "but it meant the world to me, because it's proof that he is the real thing. After that, our bond of friendship grew stronger and stronger, and it has never broken since."

"Wow! That was amazing!" Honda replied. "I sure hope I can add to that story!"

"I'm sure you will." Atem chuckled.

"All right boys!" Mai announced, "I'm finished!" She came out of the bathroom wearing a lavender robe. "Who wants to go next?"

"I think I'll take this as my cue." Jonouchi said, and he rose up from his bed and headed toward the shower. But Mai stopped him.

"By the way Jonouchi, I heard the whole story from in there. You're very lucky to find him."

"Thanks Mai." Jonouchi replied with a smile.

"No sweat." The violet-eyed beauty gave Jonouchi a nice pat on the back. "Now go get yourself clean before you start to reek of Big Daddy."

"Please don't even **mention** that big diving suit!" Jonouchi whined in disgust, earning a laugh from the other two young men.

* * *

The next morning the whole team was walking out into the tunnel, feeling refreshed from their night's stay in the Neptune Safehouse. Ryouta was accompanying them, even though he had no weapon to carry. "All right everyone," Atem said to the other, "Now that we're outside the Safehouse, he'll be calling us any minute now."

"Who will?" Ryouta asked as Atem and Jonouchi reactivated their plasmids. The fisherman didn't have to wait long for an answer, for the Video Phone carried by Atem flickered on and soon Raiden appeared on the screen.

"What's up everyone?" Raiden greeted, "Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"We sure did Raiden." Atem replied.

"Raiden?!" Ryouta said in amazement, "You're able to contact Raiden?! That's incredible!"

"Anyway, it's time to head over to the Atlantis Fisheries." Raiden said, "But it won't be easy. A certain group of former smugglers had locked themselves inside the freezers leading there."

"We'll keep that in mind." Atem said before the screen turned off. He turned toward his team. "Are you ready for this?"

"You got it buddy!" Jonouchi answered.

"Count me in!" Honda replied. Mai and Pegasus nodded.

"Let's go then!" Atem announced, "From what Hawkins has told us, the Fisheries are in this direction." The team followed the path within the glass tunnel, until finally they reached another metal door connecting to the fisheries. Once they stepped through however, the voice of a certain splicer echoed in the hall leading to the freezers, followed by a shower of rose petals from the ceiling.

"Now who can blame a hottie who craves variety?"

"Yerk!" Jonouchi gasped, "I-it's her again!"

"Keep your eyes open." Pegasus warned, "She could be anywhere. Blossom, scan the area for me."

"W-will do Master." Blossom stuttered, and she began her scan as the team forged ahead toward the locked door.

"And one day, my Boo stopped calling…" the 'Creepy Lady' cooed as Atem made his approach. He started knocking, once, twice, three times.

"Hello?" he called out, "Anybody in here?"

There were footsteps from behind the door, then the voice of an old woman with a southern accent. "Yeah, who is it?"

"Pardon the sudden intrusion Miss, but I'm--"

"Wait, don't tell me! Lemme guess…" the old woman interrupted, "Atem Kakita, is that right?"

"Y-yes! How did you know?" Atem asked. It was then that the slot on the door slid open, to reveal an old woman wearing a smelter's protective helmet upon her head.

"Peach Wilkins!" Ryouta gasped.

"Well, if it ain't Ryouta Kajiki!" Peach said, "Long time no see! Your daddy's been talking about you nonstop!"

"Wait!" Ryouta blurted out, "You mean to say that Dad's still alive?!"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Peach replied, "When the Kyoki Wars started two years ago, we locked ourselves in this here freezer in order to protect ourselves. Around that time, your daddy was making a visit to get some supplies, and apparently we locked him in with us. Needless to say, he's been trapped in here ever since. But enough small talk with you Ryouta." She turned her attention to Atem and his companions. "Raiden videoed on ahead, Atem, and he says y'all need an invite to the Fisheries. Well I say 'nuts'! You ain't gettin' through this door! And that means you too, Ryouta!" All the others let out a groan of disappointment.

"I don't believe it!" Honda groaned, "We came all the way to the Fisheries for nothing!"

"Hey now, quit whinin'!" Peach barked, "I just have a little favor to ask of ya, that's all. If y'all can head over to the Wharf Master's Office and find this southern gal a digital research camera, then maybe I might give y'all an invite!"

In an instant, Mai's eyes lit up at the mention of Peach's request. "Did you say 'digital research camera'?!" she gasped in excitement, "That's what **I** was looking for!" Suddenly, the sound of crumbling rocks echoed loudly in the hall, startling the whole team.

"What was that?!" Peach barked and immediately her eyes scanned the room. Soon a familiar feminine voice started scat singing the chorus of JoJo's 'Too Little, Too Late'. "My Friends," Peach blurted out, "**Y'all are FUCKED**!" And immediately she shut the slot with a loud slam. Atem and the others turned around toward the source of that singing voice, and there was a worried look upon their faces. There was a large hole in the ceiling, lit up with a red light.

"Master!" Blossom squeaked, "I found the splicer! She's up here!" Of course, the 'Creepy Lady' was almost finished with her chorus when the robotic doll reported of her presence, and the she stopped immediately.

"My youth! My ROSE!" screamed the spider spicer, "Give it back, GIVE IT BACK, _**GIVE IT BACK**_!" In an instant, she dives down from the hole, landing on her feet. She let out a screech of rage and bloodlust, her sickles glinting in her hands. The worried look disappeared from Atem's face, and turned into a glare.

"You wanted a fight? You got one!" Atem growled, and quickly lifted his lead pipe quarterstaff. "Let's take her down!"

Mai, Honda and Pegasus understood and took out their weapons. "Get a hold of yourself Jonouchi!" Mai said angrily to the sandy blonde, elbowing him on the side of his stomach. "You want to get rid of her, you'll have to help us kick her butt!"

Jonouchi, finding inspiration in Mai's words, drew his sword and let his Blaze plasmid power it up, all the while glaring at the 'Creepy Lady'. "You're right! Let's take her apart!" With a loud battle cry, he lifted his sword and leapt toward the 'Creepy Lady'. But just as he was going to swing it down on her, the spider splicer jumped backward, dodging the flaming blade, and did several backflips. "No way!" Jonouchi gasped in shock, "I missed!" When she finished her last backflip, the 'Creepy Lady' turned around and jumped right onto the wall, climbing upon it until she was crawling on the ceiling, living up to the namesake of her kind.

"She's on the ceiling! Don't let her get away!" Pegasus shouted, and he unleashed a few bullets at her, while Mai shot some crossbow bolts. To their utter disbelief, the spider splicer blocked the bolts with her two sickles, still hanging on the ceiling with her stiletto heels even as the bullets struck their mark. Then she let out an angry screech and threw her sickles right towards a certain young fisherman, who was at that moment standing defenseless in front of the freezer door!

"RYOUTA!" Honda shouted in horror. In a flash, he darted right in front of Ryouta and immediately used his Telekinesis to catch one of the sickles. Then he tossed it right back at her—just as the second sickle struck him on his left arm! He let out a scream of pain, clutching his bleeding arm.

"HONDA!!" Atem cried as the Telekinesis wielder slumped to the ground. Right at that moment, the sickle that Honda had tossed struck left side of the spider splicer's lower leg. But even as a chunk of leather was torn off of the boot, there was no blood spewing from the wound!

"Guys look!" Mai shouted, pointing at the splicer's leg. For through the hole on the boot she could see that instead of flesh, there was the glint of something similar to steel.

"How dare you strike me!" screamed the 'Creepy Lady', and she tore away her boot. Below the knee, there was a long sword-like blade made of bone where her leg and foot should be!

"GAH! She's got a sword for a peg leg!" Jonouchi shouted in horror. Then to make matters worse, the spider splicer ripped apart the other boot, revealing yet another sword that seemed to have grown from below her knee.

"More like **two** swords for peg legs!" Mai exclaimed, "She's not a common spider splicer!"

Atem, enraged by what she had done to Honda, allowed his plasmid to go on Overdrive, forming his ball of electricity. "PLASMA BOLT!" he shouted, then launched his attack upon the spider splicer. But she grabbed her sickle, which had stuck to the ceiling, then swung herself in a way that her sword leg bounced the electric ball right back at him! Atem was not electrocuted by his own attack, of course, but it struck him so hard that it still caused damage, slamming him into the wall. The 'Creepy Lady' did a somersault and landed neatly on the tips of her blades.

"Now DIE, Parasite!" she bellowed.

"You leave my friend alone!" Jonouchi roared, and once again swung his sword. The spider splicer lifted her sword leg to block the attack, and for a moment it the sandy blonde took part in the strangest sword fight ever, with her kicking at him like a martial artist. Finally though, the splicer got the advantage, and knocked the flaming sword out of his hand. She then swung her sword leg down, and slashed her sickle. Jonouchi barely managed to dodge both attacks.

"Peach is right…" gasped to Atem as he watched the losing battle, "We are so FUCKED!"

"Never fear!" Peach suddenly shouted from behind the door, "Ol' Peachy's here to save the day! SICK 'EM!" In a flash, a group of Security Bots flew out, and started shooting at the 'Creepy Lady' just as she was about to make her first kill.

"AAAH! I'M BLEEEDING, I'M BLEEEEEDNG!!" screamed the 'Creepy Lady' as the bullets started piercing her body, and quickly she grabbed her other sickle and ran over to the hole in the ceiling, where she jumped up out of sight. There was a loud scream as the Security Bots followed in pursuit. Then all was silence.

Atem, shaken by the attack he took, nevertheless had enough strength to walk over to the injured Honda, and Jonouchi joined them. "Honda! Are you all right?" Atem asked in concern.

"Ow!" Honda hissed, clutching his bleeding arm. "I'm not so sure. That sickle she's got… it's coated with spider venom! I think I'm poisoned!"

"What?!" Jonouchi and Atem gasped.

"Even the Nami serum I have can't neutralize this venom. I guess this is it…" Honda muttered sullenly, sweating profusely.

"Don't say that, Honda!" Jonouchi cried, "Just hang in there! You can't die!"

The slot on the door opened up once again, and Peach started chuckling. "Relax my friends! I figured that somethin' like this might happen, so here's a little present to help keep you alive!" Then the conveyer belt started moving, and out of the chute came what looked like a harpoon sticking out of a bazooka, and a bottle of liquid that swirled green and yellow.

"Hey!" Ryouta said, "It's a Nami anti-venom!"

Honda mentally slapped himself. "Of course! How could I be stupid enough to forget about **that**?!"

"Wait! You mean there are different kinds of Nami?" Atem asked in amazement as Ryouta drew the anti-venom into a syringe.

"That right." Ryouta replied, "Now hold still Honda." With that, he injected the liquid into Honda while Jonouchi bandaged the wound.

"Thanks Man." Honda sighed in relief, "I'm starting to feel better already."

"By the way Ryouta," Peach added, "Your daddy told me to give you that harpoon bazooka over here. He sure don't want you to feel helpless like you did right now."

"You have my gratitude Peachy!" Ryouta said, taking the harpoon bazooka.

"Now, with all that aside," Peach said to the team, "Go get that camera! And don't come back down here until you get me some digital snappies!" Suddenly, Peach was shoved out of sight with a yelp, and a new face appeared. A man with sunglasses and a bandana made from an American flag, his chin covered with bristling hairs, glared at the team.

"Listen up ya punks!" he snarled, "If I smell an ounce of Dartz on ya, I swear I'll put ya all in a cremation vase!" Peach's hand pushed on the man's face, shoving him to the side as she came back in sight. And she was fuming.

"Knock it off Keith!" she barked angrily, "You know better than to judge a book by its cover!"

"Well how do you know those fucks aren't one of Dartz's minions?!" Keith bellowed back.

"What makes you think they're **all** Dartz's minions?"

"Dartz has the _**Nagi**_, and everybody wants it Goddamn it! Mutou, on the other hand, has a whole lot of talk and a nice suit! Even down here, any **moron** can see which way the wind is blowing!"

Peach glared and growled, "At least you're humble enough to know **you're** a moron, **Moron**! Now get back to work!" She swiped at Keith and he sulked back to the interior, grumbling the whole time. She turned her attention back to the team. "Sorry about that." She said, "Keith is gettin' to be as straight as a dog's hind leg." She soon began to frown. "But in a way, he has a point. Raiden gives y'all the vouch, but that don't mean I'm turning my back on his say-so. So you better prove yourselves by gettin' that camera!" She hands a piece of paper to Atem. On it was a seven-digit code number. "As soon as it's in your hands, contact me with this code. I'll give you further instructions from there." She shut the slot, and there were footsteps signaling that she was walking away. The Video Phone turned on again, and Raiden appeared on the screen.

"Ugh! First an old woman with suspicions, now a grown man jumping at ghosts!" he muttered, "Dartz is dead, and everyone should know that for sure! He's been in the ground for seven years now, and half of Kyoki is **still** jumping at his shadow, even Mutou himself!"

"Well, I suppose I don't blame them." Atem replied, "I've heard a lot of terrible things about this man, but no one has ever told me he that he died. What do you think of him, Raiden?"

"Never mind about that!" Raiden barked, "We got some work to do!" The screen became blank soon after that.

"Guess there's nothing else to say about that." Jonouchi said. Honda slowly rose to his feet, taking a Nami serum to help heal the wound on his arm.

"Well let's go already!" Pegasus said, "The sooner we get that digital research camera, the sooner we can return."

"Right!" the others agreed. And immediately, the team headed out of the hall and into the tunnel leading to the main dock area of Dragon King's bounty.

Once they passed through the door to that area, however, Jonouchi suddenly blurted out, "Hey! Where **is** the Wharf Master's Office anyway?"

Everyone stopped in their tracks, becoming concerned. "Oh my…" Mai said, "that's a good question… None of us has ever been there before."

"I think Aunt Julie might know where it is." Honda suggested, taking out his own Video Phone, "After all, she's been there a couple of times in the past." He tapped a specific code on the Phone, and in an instant Julie Langford appeared on the screen.

"Julie Langford here!" she said, "Is there anything you need, Sweet Cheeks?"

"Yeah, Aunt Julie." Honda said, "Do you know where the Wharf Master's Office is located?"

Atem suddenly clutched his head as if in pain. "What's wrong Atem?" Jonouchi asked.

The crimson-eyed youth slowly let's go of his head, and replied with a horrified look on his face, "The Wharf Master's Office… it's somewhere on the top floor of Dragon King's Bounty…" The others stared at him in surprise. But what happened next surprised them even further.

"No way!" Julie gasped, "That's what **I** was going to tell you! The Wharf Master's Office **is** on the top floor!"

"You're starting to scare me Atem!" Jonouchi said, "How did you know the location of the office if you've never been there before?"

"I honestly don't know **how** I knew that…" Atem replied in a soft tone. "That's what scares **me**…" Suddenly Atem's Video Phone started flickering. "Huh? What is it now Raiden?" Atem asked in confusion, and he lifted up the Phone. Imagine how surprised the crimson-eyed youth was when the face of an old woman appeared on the screen. She had creamy- pale skin and deep blue eyes. Her straight white hair was tied up in a long braid, and as he could tell, she was wearing a dark pink sweater.

"Greetings Atem, and to all of you accompanying him." The old woman greeted, her voice touched with a German accent. Hearing a different voice from the Video Phone, the others looked at the screen and were just as surprised to see her.

"Uh, hello…" Jonouchi replied, "I don't suppose we've met before…"

"I am Dr. Brigitte Tenenbaum," The old woman continued, "and I am calling you on this Video Phone on behalf of my granddaughter, Anzu Mazaki, to thank you for giving her aid in a very noble cause."

"Anzu!" Atem gasped, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"She has told me all about you, and how you showed kindness to my little ones. But can you truly be a friend to us? Regardless, I have sent a little one out into the city to find you, so she can offer you a gift to demonstrate our appreciation." She then turns her attention toward the crimson-eyed youth. "She is especially looking forward to seeing you again, Atem. There is no doubt that she had gotten attached to you since yesterday."

"Y-you mean Mei Lin?!"

"That's right. I'm sure you're concerned for her safety due to the splicers that wander the streets. But do not be alarmed. She will not be going out alone. Of this I assure you." When she finished, the screen went blank once again.

"Well, isn't that sweet!" Mai said with a smile.

"Looking back in Kyoki's early days, no one would have imagined that Tenenbaum would become the compassionate woman she is now." Pegasus agreed, "After all she used to work for Dartz in Orichalcos Futuristics, and she is the one who created the first Scavengers along with her adoptive daughter."

"Raiden said something about that the day I rescued Mei Lin, my first Scavenger!" Atem said in astonishment. "I actually met Tenenbaum's granddaughter on that same day!"

**"Please don't hurt her!" the woman, Anzu, pleaded, grabbing his attention. She looked as though she were ready to cry. "Have a heart…"**

"**Ah, that's very sad," Raiden said sarcastically, "coming from the granddaughter of the woman who cooked up those creatures in the first place. She and your mother took fine little boys and girls and turned them into beasts like **_**that**_**, didn't they?" Anzu glared at the man in the Video Phone, but gave no reply.**

"I don't know if it's because of her past in Orichalcos Futuristics, but from what I saw that day, Raiden seems to have some kind of grudge against her." Atem reasoned.

"Apparently he must not have known about her change of heart." Pegasus replied, "But let's put that aside for now. I sure would like to meet that little girl you saved."

"Yeah! Me too!" Blossom piped cheerfully, "I'd like to play with her!"

"Hold on a minute!" Ryouta interrupted, "What about the digital research camera Peach wanted?! We need to get it as soon as possible! I mean, the girl's reward is nice too, but can't she wait?"

"You really want to see your dad again, don't you?" Jonouchi asked.

"It's been two years since I last saw him, but I feel as though it's been FOREVER!" Ryouta cried, his alligator tears flowing from his eyes like a river. "And now that I know he's alive and trapped in that freezer, I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THIS HAPPY REUNION ANY LONGER!"

An idea struck Atem at that very moment, and his lips soon curled into a confident smirk. "This just might work! We have **two** Video Phones, so why not put them **both** to good use! We'll split up into two groups. Jonouchi, you, Honda, Mai and Ryouta head over to the Wharf Master's Office and get that digital research camera. Pegasus and I will look for Mei Lin and pick up Tenenbaum's gift. Give us a call when you get that camera."

"Sounds like a plan!" Jonouchi replied, "Let's get it into gear!"

"Here's the code for my Video Phone," Honda added, pushing some buttons on said machine, "It's listed on yours, and your code is transferred to my list." Indeed the crimson-eyed youth could see Honda's code appearing on the screen. "Good luck Atem!"

"You too." Atem replied.

The Telekinesis wielder turned back towards his own Video Phone. "Lead the way Aunt Julie!"

"With pleasure!" Julie said with a wink. "First, head to the right-hand side of the dock area!"

"Let's go everyone!" Mai called out, running ahead of the boys.

"See you later Pal!" Jonouchi said to his friend, "And be careful!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Ryouta shouted and soon they all ran out of sight.

"Now let's begin **our** search, shall we Atem Boy?" Pegasus suggested.

"Yes, let's go." Atem replied, and they too started running—in the opposite direction.

Note: That's right! Mei Lin has a bigger place in this story! And since the team has split up, you can just guess what kind of adventure they'll be going through! In the next chapter, Atem get separated from Pegasus by a swarm of splicers just when they started their search for Mei Lin. When Atem attempts to find Pegasus, something unexpected happens! Until next time!


	16. Chapter 16

Note: It took a while, but I finally got this chapter up and running. Once again, I had to do some chatting with the Rainwalker. About how you described Ryu Mutou... That's exactly what I was going to describe him! You were right on the mark! There was an event that led to his decent into insanity, which can be described in later chapters. As for Dartz... well, you and the other fans are in for a little surprise on that one. As always, I'm improving my structure in some way. Anyway, it's time to start the new chapter! There's bound to be twists and turns in this one! Enjoy!

**Chapter 16: Doppelganger**

Somewhere in an unknown part of Kyoki, A splicer in a business suit was staring at several TV screens, each one surveying a specific part of the ruined city. Behind him was a figure hidden completely in shadow, who watched as he pointed to one of the screens, which showed a certain group of Plasmunds in Dragon King's Bounty. "As you can see Sir, aside from the unexpected company," the splicer confirmed, "everything is going according to plan. Heh heh heh, Ryu Mutou won't know what hit him!"

"It matters not if the company is unexpected," Noted the figure in the shadow with a smooth tenor voice. "They can still be very useful in the greater scheme of things… Send the splicers after them."

"W-what?" the splicer stuttered in confusion.

"You heard me," the figure commanded, "Send the splicers to Dragon King's Bounty and attack them."

"But, but I thought you **wanted** them to--"

"I do. But we can't make it **too** easy now, can we?"

"W-what do you mean Sir?"

"The last thing we can afford to do is to arouse suspicion." the figure explained, pointing to a certain crimson-eyed youth, "**He** asked about 'Dartz', and I'd rather he not revisit the subject. Therefore our splicers will prove to be the perfect distraction."

The splicer sighed. "Whatever you say Sir."

* * *

"Did you find her yet, Blossom?" asked Atem.

"Nope, not yet!" Blossom replied, "I'm still scanning!" Atem sighed as he and Pegasus looked around the lower wharf.

"Stay back!" Pegasus suddenly barked, and immediately he took out his golden machine gun and fired. With a loud bang, a nearby Security camera exploded before it fell to the ground in a large scrap heap.

"Thanks Pegasus." Atem said gratefully.

"Don't mention it." replied the plasmid merchant as he reloaded his weapon. "You must be very excited about seeing that little girl again, aren't you?"

Atem smiled to himself. "Of course. Mei Lin is such a sweet child." The smile soon gave way to a look of concern. "But at the same time, I can't help but worry about her. I know someone is traveling with her in this part of Kyoki, but I can't help it. What if she gets separated from her guardian?"

"If that's the case," Pegasus answered, "then we'll need to find her before the splicers do."

Just when Atem was about to continue the conversation, his eyes soon caught sight of something lying on the ground, nearby a Scavenger's tunnel. "Huh? What's this?" he asked himself, and he stepped toward the tunnel to pick up the object.

"What did you find Atem Boy?" Pegasus asked.

"It looks like…a video diary." The crimson-eyed youth reached out to push the 'play' button when suddenly…

"AAIEEEE!!" Blossom screamed in horror, "MASTER, MASTER!! SPLICERS HAVE BEEN DETECTED!!"

"What?! Where?!" Pegasus shouted. It didn't take long before he got his answer.

"JUUUDAAAAS!" screamed the voice of a male splicer. Soon a different voice joined in, then another, and another, and another, until the entire Wharf was filled with angry voices from both genders.

"We're surrounded!" Atem gasped in shock.

The first voice screeched, "You should know… THAT I'M THE LORD!!!" Then out of the shadows, a splicer in a modern fisherman's clothes rushed out, swinging a wrench wildly. Several others followed him, and many others kept their distance and opened fire. The attack forced Atem and Pegasus to jump in opposite directions to dodge the flurry of bullets. Immediately, Pegasus rolled forward and he fired back with his machine gun. Atem lifted up his lead pipe quarterstaff, but he didn't have enough time to execute a counterattack; the splicer leading the mob leapt towards him and swung his wrench downward. The crimson-eyed youth barely had enough time to jump backward and dodge the assault. Angered by the near miss, the splicer ran forward and swung his wrench again. Again, Atem dodged the assault, crouching deep. Quickly he did his counterattack, performing a sweeping kick to knock his enemy to the ground. Then he rose up and after spinning his electrically charged quarterstaff, he thrust it into the splicer's back, blood spewing as it pierced the heart.

"Pegasus!" he exclaimed as he pulled his quarterstaff out of the corpse. "You need to watch your back! Use your Rage plasmid if you have to! These splicers are multiplying like rabbits!"

"Don't worry about me!" Pegasus replied loudly, "I've dealt with several mobs like this before!" As soon as he finished his sentence, a splicer jumped down close by, scaring Blossom to no end. Just as quickly, though, he blasted it dead with his bullets. Then he reactivated his Rage plasmid, throwing one red glob at an enemy with a gun and another at a martial artist. The enraged splicers turned on their teammates, killing several members before they were themselves struck down. But in this case, their 'contributions' hardly made a dent in the chaos, much to the chagrin of the plasmid merchant.

Atem dodged another splicer's attack and jumped up on a nearby platform. "In that case, allow me to lighten your load! I'll lure away some of these monsters, and you finish the rest of them! I find you as soon as I'm done dealing with my half!"

"Atem Boy, wait!" Pegasus protested, but Atem had already picked up a dead fish and tossed it right into the deformed face of a splicer.

"Hey you chumps! You think you're as good as me?!" Atem taunted, holding up his bottle of Nagi, "Not if you don't have **this**, you aren't! Come and get it from me, if you can!"

"Look, free Nagi! Get him!" bellowed the splicer, urging its fellows to follow. Atem quickly jumped to a large hole just above the platform and dashed right in. Just as he had planned, about half of the mob chased him in pursuit, all the while yelling things like, "Get me my Nagi!" and "It's Mine, it's MINE! GIMME GIMME GIMME!"

Pegasus glared as he watched the scene before him. "Foolish boy…" he muttered, "I appreciate the help, but still--"

"WATCH OUT MASTER!" Blossom cried. But right at that moment, an African American splicer swung a penknife on the plasmid merchant, striking him downward on his left shoulder. Blossom, who was riding on the right shoulder, screamed as her master recoiled in pain, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"You ain't going nowhere, Traitor!" the splicer exclaimed as he and several of his buddies closed in on him.

Pegasus glared at the mob. "That does it…" he growled. As soon as a red glob popped out onto his palm, he stated, "I hate to use my Overdrive Ability, but you leave me no choice!" And he squeezed the glob hard, until it burst open and splattered in his palm.

"Oh no! He's gonna use Frenzy!" Blossom cried, "You meanies are in for it now!" Pegasus' fist started shaking, and soon several smaller globs of red goo popped out of his skin, adding to the larger globs that had already dotted it. From what the splicers could see, the little globs covered the back of his hands, the right side of his neck, his left cheek and his forehead. Then he closed his right eye and swung his head to the left. His hair flowed away from the left side of his face, revealing an artificial eye made of gold. In an instant, he grabbed that golden eye and pulled it right out of its socket. The eyelid shut tight, even as more blood flowed like a river down his face, but it didn't take long before something round bulged behind it. Within seconds, he opened both eyes; his right eye was glowing red, and within his left eye socket there was a very large glob of red goo. The plasmid merchant had a look of feral anger upon his face, and when he open his mouth, there were no words to describe the Overdrive Ability that is Frenzy… just a primal scream of rage. Before the splicers in the mob could react, Pegasus lunged himself into the fray, tearing into each and every one of them like a maddened beast. He crushed the skull of one splicer between his palms, and ripped another in half at the waist. He even bit one in the throat, leaving her to die by choking on her own blood. Still, to many other splicers, he literally punched and kicked large holes into their bodies, and the floor was covered with blood and organs. The mob tried to fight back of course, but it was to no avail; He was as strong as a Hunter protecting his Scavenger, and just as furious.

At last, Pegasus let his Frenzy die down, for the splicers in front of him all lay dead at his feet. The small globs vanished from his skin as the Rage plasmid returned to its normal state. Once he willed his plasmid into hiding, he let out a tired sigh and put his gold artificial eye back into its empty socket. "That felt good."

"Master… is it over?" squeaked Blossom as she peeked out from behind his shoulder.

"Yes dear Blossom, it's over." Reassured Pegasus, letting the robot doll climb back onto his shoulder. He began to frown. "Now we need to look for Atem Boy so we can continue our search for the former Scavenger. After going through that hole over there I have no idea where he went."

"Oh, I know, I know!" Blossom suggested cheerfully, "Let's call him on his Video Phone!"

"I wish we could, but we can't do that yet." Pegasus reminded her, "You still haven't been upgraded with the Video Phone software, remember?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot all about **that**!" replied a blushing, sweatdropping Blossom.

"Now let's go before something terrible happens to either of them!" Pegasus said.

Blossom quickly shook her head before she replied, "Right! I'll set my radar to search for Atem and for the girl, Mei Lin!" And with that, Pegasus jumped over to the hole where his companion had gone through.

* * *

Meanwhile, Atem was navigating the large crates and unsteady beams across a larger room, with the other half of the splicer mob chasing him in hot pursuit. They were screaming in bloodlust, some waving their wrenches, knives and lead pipes, and others shooting at the crimson-eyed youth with their guns. "DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" one bellowed. "HE'LL RUN OFF WITH THE NAGI!"

All the while, Atem looked ahead, keeping himself above ground level for easier movement. _Where is it?!_ he thought with a frown, _It has to be around here somewhere!_ Just then, he spotted a vending machine that was tipping over on the side. In an instant, he jumped of the crate he was on, and landed on that machine. Just as he planned, the added weight caused the machine to fall, and it crashed to the ground in front of the splicer mob, therefore blocking the narrow passage made by the crate and the nearby wall. Luckily the crimson-eyed youth leapt off to safety on the other side before that happened. While the splicers were busy trying to push the large vending machine out of the way, Atem ran to the landing nearby. No sooner than he looked down than a smirk crept upon his face. _Aha! There it is!_ He quickly jumped onto the railing just as the mob finally got through. "You probably couldn't get any Nagi from a Scavenger!" he taunted, "You're pathetic!" And he jumped off the railing. The next thing the splicers heard was a loud splash.

"He's down in the basement!" a splicer exclaimed, "We got him cornered!" Immediately the mob rushed down the stairs to the flooding basement below. Imagine their surprise when they found nobody at the bottom. "Huh? Where'd he go?"

"I don't know! Let's look for him!" a female blurted and the mob started searching for their prey in the water. But unbeknownst to the enemy, Atem had been hiding in a ventilation duct under the stairs, and he was ready for them. Once the mob was preoccupied, he sneaked out of the duct and climbed onto the nearby crate, then whistled loudly with two fingers. The splicers exclaimed, "There he is! Kill him!"

"You can lead a splicer to water," Atem shouted, "but you can't make him stay!" Before the angry splicers could react, he used his Bolt plasmid and struck the water with a stream of lightning. The mob screamed as they were all electrocuted. "Unless, of course, you have electricity." He finished as the splicers dropped dead. One everything settled down, he jumped off the crate and climbed back up the stairs. "Now I need to meet up with Pegasus." He sighed, "And I need to hurry." And so he began to retrace his steps, yet somehow he knew that his companion could be anywhere looking for him. After all, he realized, he is unable to use his Video Phone to call him like he would his other friends.

* * *

"Pegasus! Blossom!" Atem called as he traveled the large wharf. Silence pervaded the room, so he tried again. "Are you out there?! Hello?!" Suddenly, there was the sound of quick footsteps above him. He looked up and saw the beams lying on the pile of crates, but there was nobody there. He slowed his pace. "Who's there?" Soon more footsteps followed, and Atem tried to follow the sound. He could make out a strange figure dashing across a beam before disappearing once again into the shadows, and that figure is definitely not Pegasus. Atem got into his fighter's stance, and took out his lead pipe quarterstaff. His eyes scanned the room for any movement as he slowly made his way across. He looked to his right, then to his left. He looked up and he looked down. Still, there was no sign of the stranger. After a moment of silence, the footsteps once again echoed the halls. He quickly turned around, only to find no one. He stepped backward, his weapon in the ready. "All right splicer!" Atem threatened, "Show yourself!" He stepped further backward, unaware that the figure was standing on a platform not so far away. "I'm not afraid of you! Come out and fight!" Just then, the strange figure jumped up from the platform and landed from right behind the crimson-eyed youth. In an instant, Atem turned around to face his opponent. But what he saw made him stop in his tracks, and his eyes widened in surprise. There, standing before him, was a teenage boy who looked **just like him**! He even wore the same clothes, including an oversized pendant with a golden upside down pyramid! There were subtle differences though. The crimson eyes of this boy were slightly wider than Atem's. And although he had the same star-shaped, spiky hairstyle, which was black with crimson tips, not a single part of his gold lightning-shaped bangs streaked his hair. In his hands was what looked like a deck of cards spread out like a fan, and he looked poised to throw them. But the boy lowered his hands and his own eyes widened in surprise; needless to say, he was just as shocked at what he was seeing.

At first, both of them were speechless. Finally Atem gasped, "_**What the hell?!**_" He lowered his quarterstaff and bellowed in confused anger, "Who ARE you?! And why do you look like me?!"

"I was going to ask **you** the same Goddamn thing!!" the boy roared in the same manner with a tenor voice.

"MR. YAMI!" a child's voice called out in joy. Both young men looked up, and Atem recognized that voice immediately. It was Mei Lin! Sure enough, the little girl came running towards her savior, laughing happily. The braid on the left side of her head was put up in a little bun, so that it now looks just like the right side, her clothes were cleaned up a bit, and she was holding a stuffed panda in her right arm.

"Mei Lin! I was looking for you!" Atem gasped happily, kneeling down so that she can give him a hug. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

"And I'm happy to see you, Mr. Yami!" squealed Mei Lin, "My friend and I have been looking for you too, and now we finally found you!" The boy stared at the scene in astonishment.

"Mr. Yami?" he muttered, before he gasped in realization. "Hey wait a sec! You must be the man that Mei Lin was telling me about, the one who made her human again with the Restoration plasmid!"

Atem stood up and replied, "That's right, I'm the one who saved Mei Lin. You must be her friend, the one she was telling me about. Yugi, is that right?"

"Yep!" replied the boy, Yugi, giving the Bolt user a handshake and a smile, "It's nice to meet you Yami!"

"Actually, 'Yami' is a nickname I had Mei Lin call me. My real name is Atem, Atem Kakita."

"Atem? Well, that name is even better!" Yugi complimented, "All right then! I'll call you Atem!"

"You can't take it from me Mutou! I EARNED IT!" roared a voice that made the three of them turn around.

"Oh no!" Mei Lin gasped in horror, "It's them! The monsters are coming!" Indeed, another mob of splicers was rushing in from a distance, screaming for blood.

"STAY BACK!" Yugi hollered, pushing Atem out of the way as he picked up the little girl. Then he threw his hand outward, and to the Bolt wielder's astonishment, a translucent duplicate of the boy rippled into view. Guided by his thoughts, the duplicate traveled away until it reached the splicers. Once there, Yugi crossed his arms as if he were blocking a melee attack, and the duplicate was briefly surrounded by a ring of light before it began to use Kung Fu, knocking down several opponents one by one. The splicers lunged out at the duplicate, swinging knives and wrenches or shooting at it with their guns, but none of them brought any harm to the duplicate. "Illusional Clone." Yugi explained quickly, "It makes for a good target dummy, but it won't last long. Let's get out of here while we still have the time!"

"W-wait!" Atem hollered in surprise, "You mean—**you're** a Plasmund too?!"

"Pardon my language for Mei Lin's sake," Yugi replied, "but ISN'T THAT FUCKING OBVIOUS?!?!" After that little outburst, Yugi quickly calmed down. "Look, we can talk about it later! We have to go, NOW!" There was no other reply as he and Atem started running away in the opposite direction, taking Mei Lin with them. But right at that moment, the little girl's stuffed panda slipped from her arm and dropped to the floor.

"Ping!" She cried, "Mr. Yami! Yugi! Please go back! We can't leave without Ping!"

"I'm sorry Mei Lin," Yugi apologized hastily, "but we don't have time to do that! We have to go before the monsters see us!"

"No! Ping! PING!" Mei Lin wailed, her tears flowing down her cheeks and her arm reaching out for her toy even as her two friends kept running. Atem looked upon the little girl with pity in his eyes. It broke his heart to see her this way. His mind was made up right then and there.

"Yugi," he suddenly said, and they stopped in their tracks, "Hold her for a minute! I'll be right back!" He handed the little girl to his doppelganger, and in a flash, he ran back to where the stuffed panda was lying.

"Atem!!" Yugi gasped in shock, "Are you nuts?!" But Atem gave no answer. His eyes were on that toy, and on the splicers that were still attacking Yugi's Illusional Clone. It was a race against time; he did not know when the plasmid would wear off. He got closer and closer… he reached down… in an instant he scooped up the little stuffed animal. Quickly he ran back to Mei Lin and an astonished Yugi, just as the duplicate started flickering away.

"All right!" Atem exclaimed, "**Now** we can go!" Again, there were no replies made as the group fled, just as the Illusional Clone wore off and the duplicate disappeared completely with the splicer's blows.

"Hey, over there!" a splicer hollered, pointing to the escaping group, "They're getting away with the Scavenger!" All at once the splicer horde gave chase, screaming in rage.

But even with the setback, the three of them made it to the metal door just in time. "Hurry! They're coming!" Yugi exclaimed as they went through. Atem pulled the lever, and the metal door shut right into the splicers' ugly faces. The last thing they heard before they went to the wharf were angry voices and the sound of fists slamming at the door on the other side. Only when they reached the middle of the wharf did they stop running. They were safe, for the time being.

Atem let out a sigh of relief as Yugi put down Mei Lin. _That was too close!_ He thought, _If it hadn't been for Yugi's plasmid… well, I don't __**want**__ to know! I just can't __**stand**__ the thought of Mei Lin falling into the clutches of those splicers!_

"Me neither." Yugi replied aloud, "I've seen the remains of harvested Scavengers. It's not pretty."

Atem turned toward the doppelganger, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Huh? I didn't say anything!"

"Yes you did!" Yugi insisted.

"All right, then what did I say?" Atem asked skeptically.

"You said you couldn't stand the thought of Mei Lin falling into the clutches of those splicers." Atem eyes widened in astonishment when he heard those words. He **physically** said nothing, and yet… How did this teen know exactly what he was thinking? How was that possible?

When the Bolt wielder gave no answer, Yugi turned away, looking hurt. _Oh great! Nice going Yugi!_ He thought bitterly to himself, _Now he thinks I'm some kind of weirdo!_

Atem let out a small surprised gasp, before he composed himself and said, "You're **not** a weirdo."

"GYAAA!" Yugi yelped, "I didn't say anything!" But then he gasped, as if something dawned on him. "Hey, wait a minute!" He started to stare at Atem, concentrating hard. At first, there was silence between the two teens, and Mei Lin watched in curiosity. Finally, Yugi thought of something to say, without physically voicing it. //Atem?//

Once again, Atem gasped in astonishment. Without even thinking twice, he responded in the same way, ((Yugi?!))

Now it was Yugi's turn to gasp. //No way! You can hear my thoughts!//

((**Your** thoughts?!)) Atem mentally replied, ((Y-you can hear **mine**!!))

Yugi paused, before he finally answered, //Whoa… this is crazy! If… if **we're** able to talk to each other with our minds like **this**… then that must mean… we must be telepathic!//

((Telepathic?)) Atem asked.

//Yeah!// Yugi answered.

Atem gives a thoughtful smirk. ((Hmm, I guess that gives a whole new meaning to the word 'mind boggling'. It's actually kinda cool.))

//You think so?// Yugi pauses for a moment, before he too started smiling. //Yeah… it **is** kinda cool! No doubt it'll come in handy!//

"Do you think anyone else can hear our thoughts?" Atem asks, vocally this time.

"I personally doubt it, but I don't know for sure." Yugi answered with a shrug. "Let's just start using our gift and we'll find out as we go along."

"MASTER!" exclaimed a cute voice in excitement, causing the three of them to look toward it source. Atem was amazed to find Pegasus standing at the entrance to the wharf on the other side, with little Blossom dancing cheerfully on his shoulder. "Look Master, it's Atem! We finally found him!" Blossom cheered, "And YAY! He found Mei Lin!"

"Pegasus!" Atem exclaimed, "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Well I was looking for you Atem Boy!" Pegasus replied as he rushed toward the Bolt wielder. "But this was truly unexpected! I never thought you'd find that sweet little girl over there! Well done!" Mei Lin likewise blushed at the compliment.

"Oh! Look Master! Someone else is with them!" Blossom chirped pointing to Yugi. Pegasus looked at the doppelganger, then at Atem, then back at Yugi, his eyes widening. Yugi just gave a knowing smile.

Quickly Pegasus faced Atem again. "Why Atem Boy! Ha ha ha, I **knew** you remind me of someone I know!"

"It's been a while, Pegasus." Yugi said, "Still selling plasmids and gene tonics to both sides of the war I presume."

"Yes, Yugi Boy." Pegasus answered, "Though I admit I was reluctant to sponsor Mutou Industries since **he** fell from grace seven years ago."

"Don't worry. I always knew this would be the case, so I don't blame you for it."

"You… you know him?" Atem asked the plasmid merchant.

"Of course." Pegasus answered, "Almost everyone in Kyoki knows Yugi Boy. But enough about that, let's go over to the Dragon King's Bounty branch of the Gatherer's Garden. Mei Lin would be much safer there." Atem and Yugi nodded in agreement and the Bolt wielder picked up the little girl in preparation for the trip.

* * *

The cheerful sound of singing dolls filled the store as they danced and watered their 'flowers'.

"Well, here we are." Atem announced. He set Mei Lin down on the ground near the display. "Oh by the way," he said, taking out the stuffed panda and holding it out, "here's Ping."

Mei Lin happily took her toy. "Thank you so much Mr. Yami! But Ping isn't the only one you saved!"

"He isn't?" Atem asked in confusion.

Mei Lin held out her panda, beckoning him to kneel down. On its belly was something he didn't notice before: a zipper. "Pull that zipper right over here." Mei Lin suggested, pointing to that zipper, "Ping has a present for you inside!"

Pegasus went over in curiosity. "So Tenenbaum's reward is inside this panda bear?" Yugi just smiled. He knew exactly what was inside. Atem hesitantly reached out, took hold of the zipper and pulled down. The panda's belly opened up, and packed safely within the stuffing was a bottle, filled to the brim with a glowing reddish liquid. "200 Nagi!" Pegasus gasped as Atem took it out. "That's more than twice the amount of Nagi you can get from harvesting!"

"And now there's plenty for everyone in my team to use!" Atem mused with a smile. He opened the bottle and put it into his own Nagi 'wallet'. "Thank you Mei Lin. And thank Tenenbaum for me as well when you get back to her." Mei Lin suddenly became sad. "What's wrong?" Atem asked, "Did I say something to upset you?"

"No." Mei Lin replied, "It's just that… I need your help again. And Yugi's help too. You see… I want to find my mommy and daddy." Her tears began to build up in her eyes. "I miss them so much. I don't know where they are, but I'm sure they must be worried about me. Please Mr. Yami. Help me find my mommy and daddy. I want to let them know I'm okay."

Atem's expression softened. He put his hands on the little girl's shoulders. "It would be an honor to help you reunite with your family. You can stay with me and Yugi until we find them."

Mei Lin wiped her tears, and managed to give a smile. "Thank you Mr. Yami."

//I've got to say, that's a bold endeavor.// Yugi said telepathically, //I'm more than happy to help you out, but I have to warn you that it's going to be very difficult.//

((How so?)) Atem asked.

//Most of today's Scavengers are orphans, kidnapped by Mutou industries and converted to the sad creatures you see now. Some had families that were slaughtered in the New Years attack that took place two years ago. Others had parents that were killed later on, in an attempt to rescue their sons and daughters. Even today, you'll rarely meet a Scavenger that still has living relatives.//

((That's terrible!))

//Of course, I don't know for sure whether or not Mei Lin's parents are still alive. We need to gather some clues to find out where they are.// Yugi suggested.

Atem suddenly let out a gasp. "Hold on! I just remembered something!" He reached into his pocket and took out a certain object.

"What is it Atem?" Yugi asked.

"I picked up this video diary before Pegasus and I were attacked by a horde of splicers." Answered Atem, "The thing is, I never got a chance to play it."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Pegasus exclaimed, "Go ahead and push the button Atem Boy. The sooner we finish watching it, the sooner we can start looking for her parents."

"Right!" Atem replied. He pushed play on the video diary. At first, there was hardly anything but snow and white noise on the screen. But soon, an image began to appear. It showed a woman of Chinese origin, crying uncontrollably. Mei Lin let out a gasp, recognizing the woman almost immediately.

"Mommy!" she cried, "It's my mommy!"

"Huh?! That's your mother?!" Yugi gasped.

"Shh, quiet you two!" Atem scolded, "Let's listen! It might be important!" Finally, the woman who is Mei Lin's mother calmed down enough to start talking.

"_**Sweet Mei Lin,**_" she cried, "_**Your father and I don't know what has happened to you. All we know is that Mutou's cronies had taken you away while we were gone. They said you were needed to save Kyoki. And at first I asked myself, 'Who needs a child to save a city?' But then I see these little boys and girls crawling out of these vents. I only wonder if one day, you might crawl out of a vent like this and find this note. We look for you, but if you find this, come to us at the Old Fighting McDonagh's in room number 7. The code to our room is 7533. With that said, we will not return to the safehouse until **__**you**__** return safely into our arms. We miss you, my sweet child.**_" The video diary was over in a flash.

"Did you hear that?!" Mei Lin exclaimed, "Mommy and Daddy are at the Old Fighting McDonagh's! They're waiting for me!"

"The Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern?" Pegasus queried, "That place has been nearly deserted since the start of the Kyoki Wars."

"Have you been there before?" Atem asked.

"Only on a couple occasions before the New Years attacks. Back then, it was simply called the 'Fighting McDonagh's'. That was before a new one was built in the Neptune Safehouse of course."

"Well, since you mentioned it," Yugi added, "I've heard rumors that splicers still spend time in that place nowadays. Still, there's a good chance that the Xangs have managed to fight them off during their stay, and that they might still be in that room, waiting for their daughter."

"Then let's head over to that tavern." Atem suggested, "If the splicers are any indication, we could use all the help we can get." He then stood up and took hold of Mei Lin's hand. "Ready to see your mommy and daddy?"

"Yeah, Mr. Yami!" cheered Mei Lin, "C'mon! C'mon!"

"Lead the way Pegasus!"

"Gladly!" Pegasus answered. "You know what to do, Blossom."

"Okie-Dokie Master!" Blossom squeaked happily, "According to my map, the tunnel leading to the Old Fighting McDonagh's tavern is four rooms away!" And so the four travelers hurried onward, eager to bring about another happy reunion.

Note: Hee hee hee, I told you Yugi's going to show up in this story. A little more about him would be revealed in later chapters, and he's got a pretty significant role to play. In the next chapter though, we turn our attention to Jonouchi and his group. When they finally get their hands on the digital research camera, they find themselves clashing with a new character. Who is he? Is he friend or foe? Who was that teenage girl accompanying him? And why does she remind the heroes of the Scavengers? You'll just have to find out! Until Next time!


	17. Chapter 17

Note: Whew! This is the longest chapter I have ever done! but I've overcome the 'said' syndrome! Too bad I don't know how long it would last... T_T Master Rainwalker, I've done my very best to follow your advice on writing, and I hope this chapter shows the improvement you're looking for. After all, there are many times when a writer like me would get so caught up in the story that they would sometimes forget your wise council. I need all the encouragement I could get to stay in the path. Anyway, it's time for the next chapter of Plasmashock, everyone. It's Jonouchi's turn to have the spotlight this time. More secrets about Kyoki are revealed, and the skills of Jonouchi's team are put to the test. Enjoy the new chapter!

**Chapter 17: Icy Research**

Meanwhile, in another part of Dragon King's Bounty, Jonouchi and his team were traveling upwards toward the Wharf Master's Office under Julie Langford's guidance. "Hmm, so that Peach Wilkins lady wanted you to get a digital research camera huh? That explains why you wanted to find that office." she mused from the Video Phone, "Seems like a decent request to me."

"I have to admit, she is reasonable. But that assistant of hers looks pretty whacked." Honda explained, "If we don't do exactly as we tell her, she might let him do us in!"

"I'm not so sure about that." Ryouta stated, "Peachy seemed rather uneasy towards him even when she was dealing with him. There's something going on in the Fisheries, and it must be something bad… I sure hope Dad's okay in there."

"Relax Ryouta, he'll be fine!" reassured Jonouchi, "We just need to concentrate on our mission for now." On the way up the stairs, he turned his attention toward Mai. "So Mai, you wanted a digital research camera too, right? Well, do you mind telling me about it?"

"Sure." Mai answered, "For starters, here's a little bombshell. The digital research camera looks just like any state-of-the-art digital camera you would find on the surface."

"So what makes this camera different from a normal camera?" Jonouchi asked.

"According to a magazine I read," Mai explained, "This camera can 'analyze genetic structures', 'Parse biological strains', and lots of other big words that your small brain couldn't understand."

"Hey! My brain's plenty big enough to understand those words!" Jonouchi protested.

"Yeah right! It's probably stuffed with thoughts of food!" Honda muttered sarcastically.

"Watch it Honda!" Jonouchi threatened, "You got a big stomach too, you know!"

"Would you guys just shut up?!" Ryouta blurted, "We're almost at the Wharf Master's Office!" Indeed, it didn't take long before the group reached their intended destination. As he scanned his surrounding for the first time, he was, without a doubt, stunned. It looked nothing like the office he had envisioned.

"This is the Wharf Master's Office?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep, that's the place." Julie answered from the Video Phone, "What were you expecting?"

"I was expecting something like computers, file cabinets and desks, not iron bars and leaky toilets."

"Well, there's a reason behind that prison look." Julie explained, "This office also served to contain smugglers who were awaiting trial. I visited some of the prisoners during the War of Smugglers. Not many of them came out alive, I'm afraid." As the group traveled further inward, it didn't take long before they saw some turrets and security cameras. They were astonished to find that the turrets were sporting green lights.

"That's funny." Honda stated, "The turrets aren't shooting."

"You think someone hacked into it?" Mai asked. Honda knelt down to inspect one of the turrets in front of him.

"There's no doubt about it." he confirmed, "The real question is who hacked them in the first place?"

"Well, whoever it is," Ryouta noted, "They forgot to hack the security cameras over there."

"All right, then let's destroy 'em before they cause trouble." Jonouchi suggested, "Do your stuff Mai."

"With pleasure." She replied, loading her hand crossbow. One bolt was enough to destroy the first camera. "Honda, if there's any security cameras I'm missing, shoot them."

"Got it." was his reply. The group traveled through the prison/office, shooting down security cameras along the way, until finally, they came towards a door next to a camera at the end of the hall. "I guess this is where the research camera is located." Honda muttered as he examined the lock—and shot it with his gun. As soon as they entered the small hallway, they heard a loud masculine voice singing a Moses Hogan song horribly off key.

"_**DEEEEEE-EE-EEEP RIIIII-VEEEER! MYYY HOOOOME IIS OOOOOOOOOOOOO-VER JOOOOOOOOORRRRR-DAN! **_

_**DEEEEEEE-EE-EEEP RII-VER LOOOOORRD! I WANNA CROOOSS OVER INTO CAAAAAMP-GROOOOUND!**_"

"Whoa." Jonouchi muttered blandly, "Whoever's back there won't be performing on stage anytime soon." He soon reached out and took hold of the doorknob on the other side of the hallway. Inside, there was what looked like a really small closet, and through the window on the right hand side there was the source of the terrible singing: a lanky, deformed African American man dressed in a fisherman's garb. He was pacing back and forth as if in a drunken daydream, clutching his two sickles idly.

"It's a splicer all right. A spider splicer to be exact." Mai confirmed, "Like many residents of this city, it looks like this one is in need of something to turn to during the Kyoki Wars." She quickly turned to the desk in front of the team, he eyes sparkling with excitement. "And not so far away from that creep is the one thing we've been looking for: the digital research camera!" Indeed, there was the camera, resting right on top of the desk, plugged into a PC computer the size of a television. Mai immediately unplugged the item and looked on its screen to see if there were any pictures saved to it. There was.

"Hey, isn't that a photo of Dr. Steinman?" Honda asked.

"Yeah, it is!" Jonouchi answered, "Hey, what's that thing on the bottom?" He pointed to a button below the screen, and Mai pressed it. Instantly, the figure on the photo was reproduced in a three-dimensional form, and a list of detailed data appeared.

_**Leadhead Splicer**_

_**An elite splicer that evolved from the highest-ranking bullet splicer, the tank. It is known to have the ability to "grow" any kind of gun from its flesh, so when facing such this menace, proceed with caution. Resistant to antipersonnel rounds and melee, but remains vulnerable to plasmids.**_

"So our Picasso Surgeon happens to be one of the elite splicers. No wonder he gave us a hard time!" Honda noted.

"I'm gonna need a little more info on that part." Jonouchi stated, "What exactly is an elite splicer?"

"You surface dwellers know nothing…" Mai muttered. "Remember me telling you how there are different varieties of certain splicer groups?"

"Yeah."

"Each splicer within their grouping is ranked by their power and rarity. The most common variety is also the least powerful of their kind; likewise, the strongest and most deadly splicers are the rarest variety. The highest-ranking splicer of their grouping eventually evolves into the most powerful splicer of them all: the elite splicer." Mai paused as she restored the original photo. "There are six kinds of elite splicers, each one with abilites that set them apart from their lesser kin. Dr. Steinman was a good example, being a Leadhead Splicer and all that."

"Thinking back to that battle yesterday," Jonouchi noted, "I'm glad we got rid of him."

"In the meantime, "Honda said, "Let's give Peach Wilkins a call. We've accomplished the first half of our mission." He pressed the buttons on his Video Phone, inserting the code. At first, the screen was all snowy. Then it started to flicker, until finally, the face of a certain elderly fisherwoman appeared.

"This is Peach Wilkins." She stated, "Oh, it's you! You got the digital research camera?"

"We sure did Peachy." Ryouta answered, letting Mai display their prize. "We got it right here!"

"Good!" Peach replied, "I guess it's time for phase two. Y'all go around Dragon King's Bounty and take photos of the three different spider splicers: The common spider splicer, the Brown Recluse, and finally, the Black Widow. Now hurry up and get my snappies!" The screen went blank soon after.

"You heard the lady!" Jonouchi said, "Let's go take some pictures!"

"I'll handle the photography from here." Mai answered, "And luckily for us, our first subject isn't so difficult to locate."

"_**OHH DOOOOOOOOOON'T YOU WAAAAAA-AAAAANT TOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOO, TO THAT GOOOO-OOOOOSPEEEEE-EEEEEEL FEEEEEE-EEEEEEEAST,**_

_**THAAT PROOOOOOOOOO-OOMIIISED LAAAA-AAAND, WHERE AAAAAA-AAAAAAL IS PEEEEEEEEEACE!**_"

"You know, if that monster wasn't so dangerous, I'd be laughing at him right now." Ryouta admitted, as the spider splicer continued his terrible singing. Mai said nothing as she held up her new camera, adjusting the lens to suit the situation. She kept her eye on her 'subject' as he paced back and forth, until finally she pressed on the button. A light flashed, and the photo was taken.

"Got it!" Mai proclaimed in triumph. Of course, the flash of the digital camera had grabbed the spider splicer's attention, for in an instant, he stopped singing.

He turned toward the window, and when he saw the group, he shouted, "PARASITES!" and jumped up into a hole. The next thing they heard was the sound of crumbling rocks against steel.

"Well, I guess this splicer's camera shy." Jonouchi joked.

"At least he stayed put long enough for the shooting." Mai chuckled as the photo downloaded on the screen. Once it finished loading, she put it on data mode.

_**Spider Splicer**_

_**This is the most common variety of spider splicers. As the most athletic of all splicers, spider splicers possess the ability to crawl on walls and ceilings with incredible speed, making it difficult to shoot down. The common spider splicer carries two sickles, which it can throw from a distance. It can also use melee attacks, using its athleticism to dodge enemy attacks. It is vulnerable to antipersonnel rounds and fire.**_

"Aw yeah! Now we're making progress!" Jonouchi rejoiced.

"That's one spider splicer down." Honda noted, "Now let's go find the other two!" Suddenly, there was a loud boom, and the shockwave was enough to knock the team off their feet. "What was that?!" hollered Honda. Quickly the team rose back up and rushed out of the small deskroom. Reaching the main office, they saw that there was fire on some of the furniture, a humoungous hole in the wall… and the subject of their first photo, lying dead on the ground, charred and bloodied. A scream rang in their ears, and in an instant, a different splicer came into view. This one was carrying a pistol, and by the looks of it, his clothes were on fire.

"Look, another one!" Mai exclaimed, and she quickly took out her new digital research camera. The splicer pointed his pistol, and the violet-eyed photographer barely had enough time to take her picture before he started shooting. While the other three dodged the barrage, Ryouta lifted his harpoon bazooka and fired back. The harpoon blasted out and gutted the splicer before he even got a chance to retaliate.

"Direct hit!" Ryouta shouted in triumph as his enemy fell dead to the floor, allowing the flames to engulf the body. "Ha ha ha! That splicer didn't stand a chance!"

Mai looked at the screen on her camera and chuckled. "And no wonder. It's another common variety! Here, take a look!" The three boys sped over to see the data along with detailed imaging of the splicer in question.

_**Bullet Splicer**_

_**This is the most common variety of bullet splicers. The gun wielders of the splicer race, bullet splicers prefer ranged attacks to more direct assaults. The common splicer is known to carry a pistol, but lacks the capacity to be tactical in its use. It is vulnerable to antipersonnel rounds, melee attacks, and the majority of plasmids.**_

"So just about every splicer except the elite splicer is weak against those anti-person… something rounds?" Jonouchi asked.

"It's antipersonnel rounds Jonouchi," Honda answered, "and yes, most splicers couldn't stand up to those bullets. Of course, you use a sword instead of a gun, so I guess that information would go in one ear and out the other."

"Say what?!" A fuming Jonouchi blurted.

"Sheesh! You're a hothead just like the Blaze plasmid you wield!" Ryouta noted. "Anyway, we better get out of here." The team sped onward, intending to head back down the stairs. But then they passed through the hole in the wall, and Jonouchi and Honda both happened to look through it.

"Huh? Hey, isn't that Bakura down there?!" Honda exclaimed, pointing to a ledge beyond. The others looked in curiosity. Indeed, there was the hacker with the long white spiky hair, crawling guerilla-style toward a bottle with a reddish liquid.

"It is! He must have been the one who hacked all those turrets!" Jonouchi exclaimed, and he shouted, "Hey Bakura! Long time no see!"

"SHHHHHH! Quiet!" Bakura hissed, putting a finger on his mouth, then pointing it to the ground below. "You mustn't let him know I'm here!" It did not take long for the team to realize exactly what the hacker was talking about. In the room below, there was another bullet splicer, a Caucasian dressed in the uniform and helm of a modern Japanese police officer. He was swinging his gun, taunting the dormant security camera.

"Fucking thing!" bellowed the bullet splicer, "You think you can trick me?!"

"A sneak attack eh?" Jonouchi noted, "In that case, it's time to burn that bullet splicer to a crisp!" He had allowed a ball of fire to form in between in hands, when Bakura raised his hand to stop him.

"Wait! I have a better idea!" Once again he inched toward the bottle. "All I need to do is get my hands on that plasmid! I've been looking for this for a while now, and it's finally in my reach!" Bakura stretched out his arm, reaching toward the bottle. He inched closer and closer. "C'mon, c'mon!" Finally, the bottle was clasped firmly in his hands. "Yes! I got it!" He sat up, holding the mystery plasmid in triumph. Then he took out a syringe, quietly cackling, "Now the real fun begins!" The others watched as the hacker jabbed the needle in his arm and injected the plasmid.

It was a sickening sense of déjà vu for Jonouchi, Honda and Mai as they watched parts Bakura's skin become knobby, bulge to the size of tennis balls, and finally burst open. It was the splitting image of Pegasus' Rage plasmid, only the globs of goo were blue in color, and since Bakura had a short-sleeved shirt, it was made all the more nauseating. Even Ryouta stared in disgust, but Bakura was grinning like a maniac. He quietly announced, "Feast your eyes on my personal favorite,"—One blue glob the size of a tennis ball popped out of his wrist, and he caught it in his hand—"Security Target!" He took aim at the bullet splicer below. "Here's the pitch!" He threw the glob like he would a baseball, and it splattered right on splicer's back.

"W-what the?!" the splicer stuttered, and he started to look around. But as he did so, the light on the security camera flashed on him and after a five second warning signal, it sounded the alarm. In a matter of seconds, a large collective of Security Bots whirled into the wharf, and started shooting. "Goddamn it! Why won't you leave me alone?!" roared the bullet splicer as he started running and shooting back. Unfortunately for him, he was highly outnumbered. Try as he might, he could not shoot down the multitude of Bots, for with every one he shoots down, another takes its place. The barrage of bullets struck their mark, piercing different parts of his mutated body. Finally, he collapsed in a pool of his own blood and died on the spot. Once their job was done, the Security Bots departed.

"So that's what happens when you get caught by the security cameras!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Another mission accomplished!" Bakura exclaimed in triumph. Then he jumped off the ledge and onto the ground. "Now to see what kind of goodies he's got in his pockets!" The team, stunned by what they were seeing, followed the hacker down to the wharf.

"How did you do that?!" Honda asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, tell us!" Mai demanded, "You just threw that ball of blue slime on the splicer and the security system gets attracted to him like a magnet!"

"It's simple, really." Bakura explained smugly as he started digging through the corpse, "This Security Target plasmid tricks the security system! If you hit someone with it, the particles within the glob attract the security cameras and turrets. The result: well, you get the idea."

"Um, why does that plasmid remind me of Pegasus' Rage plasmid?" Jonouchi asked Mai.

"To answer you question Jonouchi, I heard rumors that this one was an offshoot of the original Rage plasmid." Answered Mai, "The scientists simply made some slight adjustments so that it would have a different color and effect."

"You're absolutely right!" Bakura confirmed, much to Mai's astonishment. "But Security Target was never mass produced, so it's extremely rare!" The hacker had just finished talking when he came across something in the splicer's gun. "A-ha! Now here's something interesting! Here you go Honda, it's bound to come in handy." He handed over some bullets to the Telekinesis wielder, and as it turned out, they were no ordinary bullets.

"Antipersonnel rounds!" Honda gasped, "Thanks Bakura!"

"Oh please!" a new voice remarked sarcastically, "You can't slay a horde of splicers with just a bunch of specialized bullets. After all, they get more powerful over time." Startled by the voice, the team looked upward. There, standing proudly on another ledge located above the door, was a young man, accompanied by a strange young woman. They could tell that this man was a teenager, with short brown hair neatly combed in the back, and piercing blue eyes that gave them a cold stare. He wore a black shirt with long sleeves, black pants held up by a silver studded belt, and knee high boots adorned with two buckles each. On the front of the belt was a buckle displaying two interlocking letters, K and C. Two buckles also adorned each of his biceps, and his forearms were covered with studded arm guards, each of which had a strange oval shaped machine strapped on to them. But the most notable part of his wardrobe was a flowing silver sleeveless trenchcoat, and around his neck hung a pendant shaped like a card.

"The Splicer Killer!" Ryouta gasped quietly. "He really does exist!"

"But who's that with him?" Honda asked, pointing to the young man's strange companion.

The teenage girl was very pretty, and had long white hair with sky blue highlights. She wore nothing but a simple white long-sleeved shirt, which hung loosely on her petite frame, and an equally white skirt that reached to her knees. The clothes were stained red with blood, but that was not what disturbed the team. Her skin was ghost white with a gray pallor, and her eyes were glowing… just like a Scavenger! And yet… unlike many Scavengers, the glow was blue in color. And the syringe she carried took the shape of a hybrid shotgun. Mai's eyes widened in as if in shock. "No way!" Mai gasped, "How is this possible?! I thought they were all killed in the Kyoki Wars!"

"What's all killed?!" Jonouchi blurted in confusion, "What are you talking about?! And who are these guys anyway?!"

The girl faced her companion. "It appears we have a surface dweller in this group."

"Hmph. Figures." Muttered the young man who was dubbed, 'the Splicer Killer', "So which country sent this inexperienced mutt to find the secrets of Nagi?"

"W-WHA?! MUTT?!" Jonouchi fumed, "Now you listen up, you freak, I'm not serving **any** country! I just wanna get out of here!"

The Splicer Killer glared at the sandy blonde. "Even if you do manage return to the surface, you'll never truly return to a normal life. The lure to use the power of Nagi is too strong to resist, and a Plasmund like you should know that!"

"What makes you think you know me?!" Jonouchi bellowed.

"Just think about it." replied the young man, "Do you know what Nagi is in the eyes of the incompatible? Do you think it's just a coincidence that equipping plasmids looks just like shooting heroin? It may be a helpful tool to you, but to a normal human, it's a drug. And like so many drugs on the surface, its users get addicted, and they'll make any sacrifice just to get that next fix."

"I already know that!" Jonouchi blurted, "Those Goddamn splicers we're fighting are born from that addiction! You don't have to tell me that twice!"

"So you're fighting splicers too, huh?" asked the Splicer Killer with a smirk, "Well, I'm impressed. But still, you're not really good at it, and neither are your friends at that level."

"Is that a threat?!" Honda bellowed.

"How dare you!" Mai screeched, "We are just as good at fighting splicers, and at least we are competent enough to survive!"

"In that case, allow me to test your abilities." The Splicer Killer suggested smugly, raising his fists. "It took all five of you to defeat just one splicer, so I can probably take you all on myself!" He stamps one foot, then the other, and two blades darted out from the front of his boots. The machines strapped to his forearms began to transform into silver open-fingered gauntlets, and two dagger-like blades shot out, resting on the back of his hands. Then he leaped up, stuck the blades onto the ceiling and began to crawl on it!

"He's crawling like a spider splicer!" Jonouchi exclaimed in shock.

"And I thought it was just an exaggeration!" Honda shouted.

"Well don't just stand there!" Mai roared as she took out her hand crossbow. "Let's give him all we got!" She fired the bolt, aiming for his back. Quickly and gracefully, the Splicer Killer pulled out one of his blades and swung it at the bolt, knocking it out of the way. "What?!" Mai cried. Honda took out his pistol and starting shooting at him to see if he could make a mark. It was to no avail. The Splicer Killer started backflipping on the ceiling, dodging all the bullets with incredible grace and agility.

"Whoa." Bakura noted with a smirk tinged with madness, "He doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk!"

"Then how about we fire things up?!" Jonouchi exclaimed. He raised his hand and, summoning the power of his Blaze plasmid, he sent a fireball straight toward the Splicer Killer. The fireball struck its target and in an instant the Splicer Killer was engulfed in flames. "Yeah! Score one for the fire master!" shouted Jonouchi in triumph. Unfortunately for him, his joy was short lived. In a flash, the young man burst through the fires right toward the sandy blonde, his arms raised up to strike him with his blades. Jonouchi was shocked at the sight, but jumped backward to dodge the attack. When the Splicer Killer landed, Jonouchi's initial shock escalated. For the young man was completely unharmed, and the only thing rising off of him was a cloud of steam. He stood up and started to chuckle.

"Not bad." He said, "You really know how to use your Blaze plasmid; you may have what it takes to defeat a real spider splicer. But at your level, it's still not good enough for me." Before any of the team could speak, a light blue, shiny film of frost began to creep up, covering his skin, and at the same time, beads of sweat solidified into icicles. Once the frost completely covered his flesh from head to toe, he looked like something out of this world, an alien being formed from living ice. There was a confident look on his face as he raised his left hand. The gauntlet on that hand reverted to its original form. "I hope you'll like my Blizzard plasmid, because if you're going to heat things up, then it's time for me to cool it down!" He clenched his fist, and in an instant, sharp spikes the size of nails burst out of skin. The spikes were all formed from solid ice, and they stuck out from rings of blood. Five of them covered each of his fists, two stuck out from the right side of his handsome face, one above his eyebrow and the other on his cheek, and two more protruded out of the left side of his neck. Still, several more were spread out all over his body, making small holes on parts of his clothes.

"You're a Plasmund!" Jonouchi exclaimed in surprise.

"Very observant!" sneered the Splicer Killer, as the machine on his left arm once again morphed into a gauntlet, "You're not as dumb as you look!" soon, both gauntlets were covered with ice, coating even the blades, which have now become the length of short swords. Jonouchi quickly recovered from his shock, and channeled the flames of his Blaze plasmid onto his own sword.

"Bring it on!" he roared, and with a loud battle cry, he jumped toward his opponent. The young man raised his two frosty blades to block the flaming sword. Thus the melee battle commenced. Jonouchi swung his sword, trying to strike, while the Splicer Killer blocked the attacks, alternating from one blade to another. Then he tried to make a counterattack, thrusting one blade while holding back the sword with the other. Jonouchi quickly dodged that attack, stepping backward from the young man's reach. The Splicer Killer leapt in for another attack, but the sandy blonde weaved away from harm like a slithering snake. Then the blades clashed once again, fire clashing with ice, Blaze clashing with Blizzard. Finally, the Splicer Killer channeled the power of his plasmid and struck the sword, momentarily extinguishing the fire! Once the sandy blonde was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, he kicked him right on his stomach, sending him crashing into the iron bars separating the conveyor belts!

"Jonouchi!" Honda and Mai hollered. The horror in Honda's face quickly became a glare and he thrust his hand forward.

"TITAN MIND GRIP!" he shouted, and a nearby vending machine rose up in the air in front of him. He took aim and made his mental throw.

"Kaiba, watch out!" cried the teenage Scavenger girl, and for a moment the glow in her eyes became a brighter blue and she too thrust her hand outward. "SHINING NEUTRON BLAST!" The team was in for the surprise of their lives when she spoke that command. A bright white lightning bolt danced from her fingers and struck the flying vending machine. In a matter of moments, the machine exploded in midair!

"What?!" Honda gasped. "She just--" Quickly, Mai took out her digital research camera and snapped her picture.

"Thanks for the help Kisara!" The Splicer Killer, Kaiba, replied, "I appreciate it!"

"Hang in there Jonouchi!" Ryouta shouted to his friend as he aimed his harpoon bazooka, "I've got him in my sights!" He fired, or at least he tried to. Kaiba quickly turned around, threw his palm outward and just when the harpoon was about to make its exit out of the bazooka, a hail of ice spikes shot out like bullets from his body. The spikes struck the weapon, and its wielder, but instead of puncturing him, they seemed to melt on contact. It didn't become water, for it was still frozen, but it was as if the ice had sprang to life. It spread all over Ryouta until he was completely frozen on the spot. Frozen, but alive.

"No!" Jonouchi screamed. He faced his opponent and the hot coal skin glowed with his fury. "That's it! You're asking for it!" He lifted his sword, which once again ignited with fire. "SPINNING INFERNO!" With his Overdrive Ability activated, he spun toward his target.

"I expect nothing less, but two can play at this game!" Kaiba bellowed. The blade on his right gauntlet sank back, and the machine morphed once again into a different shape. This time, a drill spun out from the socket, in the same length as the blade before it. The air around him became a flurry of snow as he raised the drill and aimed its spinning tip toward the ground. "GLACIER WAVE!" Bending down on one knee, he struck the ground, drilling a hole. As the drill ground up the stone, ocean water spewed out of the hole like a geyser. The water spread out before it froze into solid ice, then instantly shattered into thousands of pieces that spread even further, freezing everything in its path. Jonouchi barely had time to react before he was bombarded with the resulting hailstorm. The fire was extinguished once more, and he was frozen in mid-spin, all with a look of surprise. So too were Honda and Mai, who tried to run to his aid.

"WHOA! HELLO!" Bakura exclaimed as the ice surged toward him. In a matter of moments, there was silence. The wharf was covered with blue and white ice, and snow fluttered in the air, which had become so cold that just about anyone could see their own breath. Kaiba slowly removed his drill from the ground, and stood up, surveying the work of his Overdrive Ability. The teen Scavenger, Kisara, jumped down from the ledge to join him, the glow in her eyes returning to its regular blue color.

"It's a good thing you can choose what your Glacier Wave can and cannot freeze." She said. "It would have been an inconvenience for you to wait for allies to thaw, not that you need any allies right away."

"You know me like an open book, Kisara." Kaiba commented, "Aside from Mokuba, you're the only other person I can truly call a friend."

Kisara smiled sweetly. "It's too bad I won't always be around to give you my aid and help you find your little brother. Ever since I became a Reaper, I can't stay out in the open for long."

"You didn't have to imbed that rapture slug into your own stomach." Kaiba replied.

"I know." Kisara sighed, "But raw Nagi is even more powerful than all the plasmids and gene tonics combined, probably the most powerful plasmid of all. I want to help you in the best way I can, and if I have to feed the slug its Nagi for as long as I need to live, so be it."

"As stubborn as always." Kaiba muttered, "But still, I can't help but worry about you, Kisara. You're sixteen after all." He paused as he looked over the team that he had frozen, especially a certain Blaze wielder, "Anyway, I've got some business to deal with before the ice melts." He stepped over to Jonouchi's frozen form, even as the latter emitted muffled curses and insults. Kaiba places a hand on the sandy blonde's shoulder and breathes on his face, watching the vapors crawl around before disappearing. "I know you can hear me Mutt." He replied with a smirk, "You're lucky you're not a splicer, because if you were, I'd shatter you into a thousand pieces." Jonouchi grunted in obvious anger before he fell silent to listen. "I must admit, you and your friends are really good fighters. You got potential. But as this battle has shown me, you fall short on my expectations. There are actually splicers out there that are just as powerful as I am, even though they don't have any Overdrive Abilities. If you were to face one of them at your level, well… you'd be dead. If you want to stand a chance against those splicers, you're going to have to improve yourselves. You have to become stronger, faster, smarter… you have to sharpen your instincts so you can stay ahead of the enemy! Only then will you be able to conquer even the most powerful of all splicers!" Kaiba paused for a moment when he felt the air grow warmer. The ice on the walls were starting to melt, so it won't be long before the effect of his Glacier Wave gets undone. He crossed his arms. "Let me tell you something interesting, Mutt, especially since you possess the Blaze plasmid. Your strength is my weakness. So how was it that I was able to beat you with my Blizzard? It's actually quite simple, really: paradoxically, my strength is your weakness, and I've got more fighting experience that you have. I'm only saying this because you'll meet some splicers who can also use the Blizzard plasmid. If you want to get the better of them, you'll need to upgrade your Blaze. There's a gene tonic in Kyoki that will help you do just that; it's called 'Human Torch'. Equip that gene tonic, and not only will your plasmid grow stronger, you'll also get a new Overdrive Ability, due to your status as one of the elemental Plasmunds. Keep that in mind if you want to stay alive." By the time he finished, chunks of ice had already fallen off the walls and splattered as wet slush. Even the ice that was covering the bodies of the team began to melt, and the pace was accelerating. Ryouta's harpoon slid out of the bazooka's barrel, and dropped unceremoniously to the floor with a clatter. "I guess this is our cue to leave." He told his companion, "Let's get going."

"Wait!" Kisara interrupted. "Something's not right. There were five people in this room, but only four of them have been frozen!" Kaiba scanned the room again, counting the members of the team that were beginning to thaw. And indeed, there were four of them.

"You're right!" Kaiba growled, "Where's the fifth one?"

He didn't have to wait long for an answer. He suddenly felt something hit him, and it splattered onto his body. The object was slimy, and blue in color. "What the hell?!" Kaiba roared, spinning around to find the assailant. But no sooner than he did so that the security camera shined its spotlight on him, and emitted the warning signal. Only then did he and Kisara look up at the ledge and see the one person that the Glacier Wave missed.

"Ha!" Bakura taunted, "You really think you can freeze me that easily? If you're going to say goodbye for now, then allow me to make your departure a little more interesting!" By the time he had finished, the security camera had already sounded the alarm. And the Security bots were making their entrance. Luckily for Jonouchi and his friends, the ice had thawed completely, and the sandy blonde, who was still in his spinning pose, fell sideways to the wet floor with a thud, his sword pointing up. The others fell on their knees just as the Security bots started shooting at the Splicer Killer.

"Oh SHIT!" Kaiba roared as he dodged the bullets, "He's got the rare Security Target plasmid! C'mon Kisara, we got to find the Shutdown Device!"

"I'm right behind you Kaiba!" Kisara answered back, running after him. Together they left the wharf, with the Security bots on hot pursuit. Once they were gone, Honda, Mai, and Ryouta sat up, shivering from the extreme cold.

"BRRRRR!" Ryouta stuttered, his teeth chattering. "N-now I know what my d-d-dad is going through in the F-F-Fisheries Freezers!"

A lukewarm Jonouchi, on the other hand, quickly rose up onto his knees, and he was steaming… both figuratively, and literally! "GRRRR! I **HATE** THAT CREEP!" he roared, "I show him who's the fucking mutt! Who is that guy anyway?!"

Honda stood up and replied, "That guy is Seto Kaiba. He's renowned as a splicer killer with a legendary reputation. Most of us had heard stories of his exploits since the Kyoki Wars went into full swing and to be honest, this is the first time any of us has actually seen him in the flesh. And now I know that all those stories were true."

"Well if he's a splicer killer, that means he's supposed to be on our side, right?" Jonouchi asked.

Actually, that's the interesting part about him." Mai answered as she rose to her feet, slowly recovering from her time in her icy prison. "Kaiba is a bit of an enigma here in Kyoki. No one knows who he is or where he comes from—heck, we don't even know whose side he's on!"

Ryouta picked up the harpoon bazooka he dropped and reinserted the weapon to its barrel. "In other words," he added, "he's a bit of a mystery. But at least one thing's for certain: For the most part, he's got an icebox where his heart used to be. And coincidentally, he's got the Blizzard plasmid to prove it!"

"I guess that makes sense." Admitted Jonouchi, "But who's the girl that was with him? You know, the one who seemed to melt that icebox. She looked just like a Scavenger, only she's the same age as I am!"

"This is unbelievable!" Mai suddenly gasped, staring at the screen of her digital research camera. Everyone else spun to see her surprised stare.

"What is it Mai?" Jonouchi asked.

"The Reapers… There's actually four of them left!"

"Hey guys!" Bakura shouted excitedly as he jumped down from the ledge, "Sorry to leave you hanging, but while you were frozen stiff down here, I just happened to find an old video diary. Here, take a look!" He pushed play on said machine and everyone turned to watch.

On the screen was a bald African American man. He was a big man, with a thick build and beefy muscles that make him a match to the Hunters. He was wearing the uniform of a police officer, and the badge read 'Sullivan' in bold lettering. He wiped the sweat of his brow and began his entry. "_**Well, now the eggs are in a scramble.**_" He stated with a deep bass voice, and the camera soon turned toward what looked like a fisherman being restrained by two more police officers, and he was struggling to break free. "_**Right after midnight, we picked up this guy, Togashi Hoshimura. Either Mutou will be taking down Dartz, or Dartz will be taking down Mutou. We'll be 'interviewing' poor Togashi in the back room of Jet Postal services, just across from the Fighting McDonagh's, whether we both like it or not… For those of you who are actually interested in this kind of 'entertainment', the code is 5380.**_"

"Hey, that Togashi guy worked with you dad, didn't he?" Honda asked Ryouta.

"Yes, he did!" the fisherman replied, "By the time Togashi got captured, Dad had already left the smuggling cartel. He didn't find out about the torture until a week later." Before anyone got a chance to ask, the screen on their Video Phone started flickering, making a noise that signaled that someone was calling. It didn't take long before a familiar figure appeared.

"Raiden!" Honda exclaimed in surprise.

"Hey guys, it's me!" Raiden greeted, "Do you have the digital research camera?"

"We sure do!" Jonouchi replied.

"Good. It's time to get to work for Old Peachy." Raiden replied, "Get the damn photos so we can get the hell out of this place."

"You heard him guys!" Jonouchi told the others as his Blaze plasmid finally returned to its normal heat, "We got one spider splicer photo down! Let's hurry and get the other two! Honda, give Atem and Pegasus a call! It's time for us to get back together!"

"Right!" Honda agreed, and he didn't hesitate to insert the calling code.

Note: Well, that's it for this chapter. And that's right! Seto Kaiba is in this story too, and like Yugi he has a significant role to play. And I bet you got some questions: what exactly is a Reaper? What makes it different from the Scavengers? And what does a Reaper's age have to do with anything. You'll get the answers to those questions later. Right now, the scenes between Atem's group and Jonouchi's group are about to intersect in the next chapter. Everyone heads to the Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern, where an even more dangerous spider splicer awaits. What happens when they arrive? You'll just have to wait and find out! Until next time!


	18. Chapter 18

Note: This is the longest chapter I've ever completed so far! It took up exactly 30 pages, and that's just with the 16 size font! As always, I'm doing my best to follow Master Rainwalker's wise counsel. At least I can satisfy his critique for written mindspeech. Anyway, on to the chapter. Our heroes are about to reunite in the Old Fighting McDonagh's where a sinister being resides. What happened to Mei Lin's parents? Enjoy the story!

**Chapter 18: Tavern of the Brown Recluse**

The lower wharf was filled with a barrage of flying bullets. But even the sound of gunfire could not drown the sound of rushing footsteps, nor could it muffle the screams of anger and greed. "HAND OVER THE NAGI!!" roared the mob of splicers waving their wrenches and daggers, and shooting their pistols. Atem, Yugi, and Pegasus ran across the large wharf as fast as they could, with the plasmid merchant carrying a terrified Mei Lin in his arms.

"Hurry! The monsters are gaining on us!" Mei Lin cried, "Please don't let them get me!"

Pegasus fired his machine gun with the hand that wasn't holding the little girl, all in an attempt to stall the horde. "Goddamn splicers…" he muttered, "They can never tell the difference between a Scavenger and a normal child. Makes me glad I'm not one of them."

"That makes two of us Pegasus!" Yugi agreed. More bullets sped by and Yugi let out a yelp as he barely managed to dodge them.

"Yugi! We need to distract those splicers until Mei Lin is out of harm's way!" Atem shouted as he ran ahead of the others. "We can't fight them when she's out in the open like this!"

"Leave that to me!" Yugi replied, and he quickly turned around and summoned his duplicate with his Illusional Clone plasmid. The splicers attention was immediately diverted.

"Hey everybody!" Blossom suddenly squeaks, "A Hunter and her Scavenger have been detected! They're straight ahead of us!" Atem and his companions stopped in their tracks, just a few steps beyond the horde. And just as the little robot doll had announced, there was the Hunter, whose stench filled their nostrils and whose dolphin cries distinguished her as a Big Bertha. So too was there a Scavenger accompanying her; it was a nine-year-old boy with brown hair that reached his chin, and he wore a tattered black T-shirt and ragged yellow-green shorts, along with a pair of sneakers that had holes large enough to display his toes. He was crouching in front of a corpse, thrusting his gun-shaped syringe in and out to drain the Nagi.

"Yeah, I've just about got it Miss Buttercup." The boy said, "I'll make them all proud of me this time."

"That's Kyle over there!" Mei Lin exclaimed pointing to the Scavenger. "He's one of my playmates from the Little Wonders School facility."

"Little Wonders? Is that where the Scavengers live when they're not with Mr. Bubbles or Miss Buttercup?" Atem asked her.

"Mm-hmm." Mei Lin replied with a nod. "It's actually a really bad place. Creepy people take control of your mind there."

Atem had a look of concerned shock written all over his face. "It's true, Atem." Yugi confirmed, "Scientists there would force children like Mei Lin to go through mental conditioning exercises to make them behave the way they do."

"I see." Atem muttered. The Bolt wielder turned around and faced the Scavenger. By now, the boy had started drinking up the Nagi. "Well, don't you worry Mei Lin," Atem reassured, "I'll make sure Kyle won't have to go back to that place ever again. But first…" He gently takes the girl from Pegasus' arms and sets her down. "…We're going to find you a hiding spot so you won't get hurt."

"What about over there?" Yugi suggested, pointing to a ventilation duct on the wall.

"That's an excellent idea Yugi Boy." Pegasus agreed. Quickly Atem rushed over with the little girl and he helped her climb inside. At the same time, Yugi's plasmid finally wore off and the splicer horde rushed forward once more.

"Get ready everyone!" Atem commanded as he raised his quarterstaff and rushed out in the open. Yugi and Pegasus followed in suit until the three of them were close to the Big Bertha. Once they saw the Rosie with her Scavenger, the mob's eyes were filled with greed.

"Hey! There's another one!"

"YAHOO! Our Nagi's gonna be doubled!"

One of the splicers, which carried a crate of dynamite, lit up a stick and threw it onto the Big Bertha. The dynamite exploded on contact, and the Hunter let out a screech of rage. Kyle, her Scavenger, turned around to see the incoming mob. "Miss Buttercup, they're right behind you! Get 'em!" The Rosie did not hesitate and immediately began her counterattack.

"Now's our time to attack!" Atem shouted, "Our Big Bertha can handle the leftovers!"

Yugi nodded and stepped forward. "I'll go first!" He crossed his arms, his fists momentarily glowing with power. "MULTIPLE CLONE!" He swung his arms back and six illusional duplicates of himself materialized in a flash, three on his left and three on his right! The duplicates fanned out five cards on each hand and took a fighter's stance, as did the original Yugi. Then the seven of them leaped up into the air and threw their cards shuriken-style. Several splicers were felled by the bladed edges of the 70 cards before the six duplicates struck down more of them with flying kicks and punches.

"So that's your Overdrive Ability." Atem commented as he watched the duplicates dispatch their opponents with an incredible display of Kung Fu and Jujitsu. "Very impressive I might say."

Yugi knocked down a bullet splicer with a kick to the head before he replied, "Thanks. It always comes in handy when I'm outnumbered!"

"Speaking of Overdrive Abilities," Pegasus added, "Allow me to add my Frenzy to the fray." He reactivated the Rage Plasmid and squeezed the red glob until it burst open in his hand.

"EEK! Not again!" Blossom cried as the Rage plasmid on her master's skin took on its Overdrive form. Atem couldn't help but express his terrified disgust as the plasmid merchant once again pulled his golden artificial eye right out of its socket in order to complete the transformation. With a primal scream of pure rage Pegasus charged ahead, tearing at the splicers from limb to limb, one by one. Atem stared at the slaughter in utter shock. He just couldn't imagine that a sophisticated gentleman like Pegasus would be capable of such a barbaric bloodbath!

But then again, he never expected that this would be the Overdrive Ability of the Rage plasmid!

Atem quickly took a glance at the Big Bertha that was fighting the other half of the mob. He watched as she threw her own grenades, blasting a whole score of splicers at once. A few of them tried to get up close, but she swatted them away like flies. _Pegasus has so much in common with that Hunter when he's using that Overdrive Ability!_ Atem thought, _It's like he's got her strength and speed in battle!_

_Don't look now Atem,_ Yugi exclaimed telepathically, _but it looks like our Big Bertha is taking a beating!_ Indeed the splicers were gaining the upper hand even as their numbers were diminishing. The Rosie's massive diving suit was being covered in an equally massive waterfall of her own blood and she was struggling just to stay on her feet. But stand she did, and she kept on fighting, determined to protect her charge to the very end.

"Don't give up Miss Buttercup!" Kyle cheered, "Tear 'em down!"

_I think 'Miss Buttercup' needs a little help here!_ Yugi suggested.

_Then allow me to lighten her burden!_ Atem roared mentally, channeling his Bolt plasmid and forming a ball of electricity. In one swift movement he launched the ball and struck one of the splicers in the attacking horde. Then the Bolt wielder leaped in and struck him down with his quarterstaff, grabbing the attention of the surrounding mob and luring them away. Thus the mob was further divided, making the Hunter's job a bit easier. While Atem was applying his martial arts skill to his lead pipe quarterstaff and shocking individual splicers with his Bolt plasmid, the Big Bertha made quick work to the half that stayed to fight her. She threw another grenade and several opponents were blasted into the air before their corpses crashed to the ground, and the ones that survived the blast were quickly shot down by the Rosie's rivet gun.

By then Yugi and Pegasus had finished off their part of the splicer horde, and now they each allowed their Overdrive Abilities to wear off. They turned around to see Atem, who was still in battle with the remaining splicers. Some splicers tried to perform a counterattack. Two of them managed to strike him on the stomach and biceps with their wrenches and lead pipes, only to be shocked with his Static Discharge. The electric shockwave from that gene tonic took care of the other splicers that were charging in as well. But not all of them… the bullet splicers kept their distance and began to shoot their pistols at him. Atem did a somersault to dodge the greater barrage of bullets and spun his quarterstaff to deflect the ones he couldn't avoid. He summoned lightning with his Bolt and struck one of the gunners. "Allow me!" Pegasus declared, and in a flash he raised his machine gun and fired. One by one the bullet splicers fell. Finally, the Big Bertha threw her grenade among the remaining splicers. The explosive coup de grace was nothing less than spectacular. After that, it was all over. The Scavenger jumped up and cheered even as the wounded Rosie staggered. Yugi and Pegasus rushed over to the Bolt wielder's side even as he was injecting the Nami serum into his tattooed wrist. "Are you all right, Atem Boy?" Pegasus asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Replied Atem as he put away the syringe and faced both of his companions. "You guys did great out there. Although I admit Pegasus, your Frenzy was a little frightening."

"Hey, you're not the only one freaked out by his Overdrive Ability." Yugi noted, pointing to a trembling Blossom.

"I-is he back to normal yet?" Blossom stuttered.

Pegasus hid his Rage plasmid and replaced his golden artificial eye before he answered kindly, "Yes, Dear Blossom. I'm back to normal now."

"Pegasus…" Atem gasped as the plasmid merchant wiped the blood off his face, "I didn't know you lost an eye!"

"That's a story I will tell for later Atem Boy." Pegasus replied. "Right now we've got more important matters to deal with—like the necessary execution of our heroic Hunter."

Atem and Yugi both turned toward the Hunter and her celebrating charge. "You're right." Atem muttered. "I hate to cut this celebration short, but we have no choice." He raised his hand to form a ball of electricity in preparation for the killing blow. "Forgive us."

"Yeah!" Kyle cheered, "You ROCK Miss Buttercup!" Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a stick of dynamite flew right onto the Hunter's body and exploded on impact! She let out a dolphin screech of pain, then a moan, before she fell dead to the ground. Kyle's expression of joy quickly became that of horror. Atem and his companions, on the other hand, had a look of surprise written all over their faces. Someone or something delivered the killing blow before they did! "Miss Buttercup! No!" Kyle cried, "What has become of you?!"

"HA HA HA HA! I gotcha now you little shit!" From out of the shadows a dynamite splicer leapt on top of the Hunter's corpse. "And when I'm done with you, I'll go find the other one and harvest her too! All the tasty Nagi I can drink, and it's mine! AAALLLL MINE!" and he reached out to grab a terrified Kyle.

"Not if I can help it!" Atem roared and he hurled his ball of electricity—right on the dynamite splicer! He toppled off the Big Bertha and fell lifelessly with a thud. "Mei Lin! Are you still in there?"

"Yes Mr. Yami." Mei Lin replied from her hiding place in the ventilation duct.

"It's all clear." Atem reassured, "You can come out now." Mei Lin carefully climbed out of the duct the same way she would climb out of the dark tunnel that was her usual hiding place. She then ran over to join the others as her Scavenger playmate began mourning.

"C'mon Mr. Yami, let's go save him before the monsters show up again." she insisted.

Atem placed a hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Be patient Little One. We'll save him soon. But first we must pay our respects for Miss Buttercup over here."

"That's right." Yugi added. "We'll have to give her a moment of silence to let her know she's appreciated."

Mei Lin stared at her friend in astonishment. But she kept quiet as Atem, Yugi, and Pegasus bowed their heads in respect. She couldn't help but smile at this gesture. No one has ever mourned for a Hunter before. Still, she gazed around the whole room on the lookout for splicers. Finally Atem lifted his head and stepped forward. As the others watched, he gently picked up the little boy from behind. Taken by surprise like the other Scavengers before him, a terrified Kyle began to struggle in order to get free. "It's okay Kyle!" Mei Lin assured him, "He's not gonna harvest you!"

"M-Mei Lin? Is that you…?" Kyle asked in amazement. That was when Atem summoned forth the power of his Restoration plasmid and cradled his head. The light covered them both, and when it faded the dead slug fell to the wet ground. Kyle, now a normal brown eyed nine-year-old, stared at himself with ever increasing astonishment. "Whoa! I'm not a Scavenger anymore!" Mei Lin ran over and gave the ex-Scavenger a hug.

"See! I told you he's not so bad!"

"You mean he saved you too?" Kyle was all smiles now as he looked at his rescuer. "Thanks for helping me Mister! And thanks for saving Mei Lin too!"

"It was nothing." Atem chuckled. "I gave Miss Buttercup a thank you for keeping you safe until now."

"Really? That's cool! No one's ever done that before!"

_He's right, Atem._ Yugi noted, _While the Scavengers are looked upon with pity by most of the Safehouse population, most Hunters are shunned even in spite of their noble purposes._

_I don't see why._ Atem replied with a frown. _It must be sad that people couldn't look past a Hunter's monstrous appearance._ He placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder and smiled once more. "Kyle, it's time for you to get back to your 'hiding place'. After all, you never know when those monsters would come back and eat you up."

"You got it Mister!" Kyle replied with a wink and a thumbs-up. He ran over to the Scavenger tunnel, waving to the group. "Thanks again! See ya later Mei Lin!"

"Bye!" Mei Lin called out with a smile as he crawled in the hole and disappeared into the darkness. She started tugging on Pegasus' hand. "C'mon you guys! Let's go see Mommy and Daddy!"

"All right Miss Mei Lin." Pegasus chuckled, "Just slow down a bit so we don't lose you!"

It was at this time Atem decided to speak to his doppelganger. "So Yugi, how did you and Mei Lin meet?"

Yugi had a thoughtful look on his face. "I met her two months ago when she was still a Scavenger. I was wandering the halls of Fort Frolic when I saw her in danger. You see, the Hunter who accompanied her that day had been killed by a Brown Recluse splicer who wanted to harvest her. Luckily I was able to dispatch him before he got a chance. But when I approached her, she attempted to run away. I could tell from looking at her that she was terrified of me. And who could blame her, after all she's been through? So I took it slow and I told her it was going to be all right. To prove that I am not like the others, I picked her up and held her in comforting hug. At first she was panicking, but I held her tight and stroked her back, much like what a big brother would with his baby sister. Slowly her fears began to subside. Quickly I took her to her hiding place before any splicers would spot her. It was then, and only then, that she warmed up to me completely. We've been best friends ever since."

"Why, that's incredible Yugi." Atem replied, "I'm sure you must have been worried about her when she was still a Scavenger."

Yugi sighed. "With all those splicers and those wicked men and women wanting to harvest her for the Nagi, who wouldn't? Whenever I see her out on the streets with a Hunter, I would watch over her until she's out of harm's way. Ironically, the only time I wouldn't worry about her is when she was in the Little Wonders School. As terrible as it is, it was the only place where I know she would be safe. On the occasions when I would visit that place we would often play with each other and with the other Scavengers, and it made her life a little more bearable." He paused for a moment before he grinned. "So you can imagine how surprised I was when I saw her last night—as a normal seven-year-old girl! That how I learned about you, Atem. I didn't get a chance to do this before now, but thank you so much for saving my friend."

"Now that I think about it… Pegasus told me that no one has ever heard of the Restoration plasmid." Atem muttered, "And yet… you spoke about Restoration as if you really knew about it."

"I do know about it." Yugi admitted, "When Mei Lin told me that you used Restoration to save her, it didn't take long for me to figure out that Anzu had something to do with it."

That took the Bolt wielder by surprise. "You know Anzu?!"

"Well, yeah." Yugi answered in a matter of fact sort of way. "She's my friend. And her grandmother, Dr. Tenenbaum, is the one who created the Restoration plasmid."

Before and astonished Atem and an equally astonished Pegasus got a chance to question the doppelganger even further, the Bolt wielder's Video Phone made a noise and the screen started flickering. "Someone is calling us." Atem announced and he held up the Video Phone. It didn't take long before a familiar face appeared on screen.

"Yo! Atem! It's me, Jonouchi!"

"Jonouchi!" Atem gasped, "I was hoping you guys would call! Did you get the digital research camera?!"

"We sure did Buddy!" Jonouchi confirmed and he turned around to face one of his friends. "Hey Mai! Show him the camera!" The view on the Video Phone shifted to the violet-eyed shutterbug as she took out her camera and held it up for the other group to see.

"Here it is." She stated. Atem stared in disbelief.

"That's it?" he asked. "That's the digital research camera?"

"Oh how wonderful! It's just like in that magazine you and your mother used to read together Miss Mai!" Pegasus complemented.

"Are you sure this isn't just an ordinary digital camera?" Atem asked the plasmid merchant.

"I'll show you some of the details later but for now, just take our word for it." Mai suggested as she put the camera back into her pockets. The Video Phone shifted back to the sandy blonde.

"So did you get your reward from that Tenenbaum lady?" he asked.

* * *

"We did Jonouchi." Atem replied from Honda's Video Phone, "200 Nagi, enough for all of us to spend at the Gatherer's Garden shops."

"Sweet!" Jonouchi cheered, "And you got to see the little girl you rescued, didn't you?"

"Of course." Answered Atem, "In fact, she's with us right now."

"She is?!" Honda gasped. Bakura, who was listening in on the conversation, had a look of surprise before it turned into a glare. No one else noticed this of course.

"We're heading over to the Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern to help her find her parents." Atem explained. "Why don't you guys come over and we'll meet there." Jonouchi didn't give a reply, for at that moment Yugi stepped into the view of the screen. The sandy blonde blinked in confusion. His eyes scanned his friend, then at the boy that looked just like his friend. They widened as they went back and forth. In all honesty, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Atem noticed the sandy blonde's sudden silence. "Uh, Jonouchi? Is something wrong?"

That snapped him back to reality and he quickly shook his head. "N-no!" Jonouchi quickly replied, "I'm fine. I'm fine. Sure! Let's regroup at the Old Fighting McDonagh's! We need your help finding some spider splicers to catch on film."

"All right. We'll meet you there!" Atem answered. The screen blinked off, leaving Jonouchi to stare blankly at the Video Phone.

"Is it just me or am I seeing double?" he muttered aloud.

"What are you talking about?" Ryouta asked.

"Oh nothing!" Jonouchi answered hastily as he handed the Video Phone back to Honda, "Honda, call your aunt so we can find that place Atem was talking about."

"Got it." Honda stated as he started inserting the code.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to make my leave." Bakura announced with a smirk. "See ya!" And he jumped up back onto the ledge.

"W-WAIT! We just got back together!" Jonouchi protested. But the hacker had already disappeared from view.

"Man, Bakura must be crazy to think that he can survive on his own like that!" Honda muttered. Soon after that, Julie Langford appeared on the screen.

"Julie Langford here." She announced, "Oh, hey everyone! Is there anything else you need help with?"

"Yeah. Do you know where the Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern is located?" Honda asked.

"Sure do, Sweet Cheeks!" Julie answered, "It's down the hall past the Wharf Master's office. In fact, you're just about on your way over there right now."

"Thanks Aunt Julie!" Honda stated, "Lead the way." And so, under the scientist's guidance, the four of them rushed onward to the Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern.

* * *

"There it is guys." Yugi said, "The gate to the Old Fighting McDonagh's Tavern."

"Yugi, I'm getting scared." Mei Lin cried meekly as she hugged his leg.

"Don't worry Mei Lin." Yugi reassured, "We have Yami by our side. Isn't that right?"

"That's right." Atem agreed, "There's no need to be afraid. Think about your mommy and daddy and how happy they will be when they see you again."

The little girl wiped the coming tears and gave a small smile. "Okay Mr. Yami. Let's go see them!"

"Heh, heh, heh, that's the spirit!" Pegasus encouraged.

"Yeah! C'mon everybody let's go!" Blossom piped up. Slowly, the group stepped toward the gate. Yet even in spite of this reassurance, Atem, Yugi and Pegasus remained ever so cautious. They had Mei Lin hide behind them as they advanced. And it was a good thing, because as soon as the door opened itself up…

"YOU DARE TO DEFY THE TRUTH OF SHIVA?!" bellowed a splicer in front of the stairway leading to the tavern. The splicer was a male dressed in the overalls of a modern fisher, but there were sword blades where his forearms should be. The blades seemed to have been grown from the elbows. Atem had just lifted his quarterstaff, ready to fight, when suddenly the splicer jumped up onto the ceiling and vanished. Mei Lin let out a gasp of terror and hugged Yugi's leg even tighter. She started to cry, so the doppelganger bent down to give her a comforting hug in return. Once the splicer was gone, Atem rushed over to the little girl to help out.

"It's all right, Yami's here to help too." Yugi said and Mei Lin allowed herself to be hugged from behind.

"Mr. Yami…" she cried.

"It's okay Mei Lin. It's okay." He reassured, stroking her hair. "We'll make sure that monster doesn't lay a finger on you. As long as you're with me and Yugi, you're safe." Within a few minutes Mei Lin's breath grew slow and calm.

"There… Do you feel better now?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah." Mei Lin answered, "I'm fine." It wasn't long before her smile returned, as big as ever. "Thank you, I'm ready now." Atem and Yugi smiled in return.

"Let's go." Atem stated as he rose to his feet and held Mei Lin by her hand. With a nod, Yugi also stood up and soon the small team climbed the stairs. The door had fallen off, so they had no problem getting through. Once they were inside, though, it was a complete mess. There were broken bottles of beer and wine and parts of the floor were covered in glass shards and spilled alcohol. Some chairs were toppled over and there was a CD jukebox that was broken in and empty of all its contents. There was a corpse slumped over the bar counter as if drunk, and another one lying like a doorstop at the nearby bathroom. Cautiously the group stepped inside. The crunching of glass beneath his feet made Atem glad that he was wearing boots. "Careful Mei Lin." Atem warned in a gentle tone, "This glass is sharp, and since you don't have any shoes on you sure don't want to cut your feet."

"I know Mr. Yami." Mei Lin replied as she navigated the floor. She proved to be quite nimble, which helped her avoid the glass altogether. That in turn proved to be reassuring to Atem.

"It's good that you warned her Atem Boy." Pegasus noted, "Since she's no longer a Scavenger, she's no longer indestructible."

"All the more reason for me to protect her." Atem answered.

"You sound like me." Yugi complemented with a playful smirk.

There was silence as they looked around the tavern. Then Mei Lin decided to speak. "Mommy and Daddy used to take me here before the war started. We had a lot of fun here. I used to run around in the hallways, and Daddy would try to catch me and give me tickles. After that Mommy would sing to me to help me sleep a night." Her expression suddenly grew sad. "Aside from the apartments we lived in up in Tengoku Heights, this was our home… until New Years day two years ago."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Atem asked kindly.

"After the war got started we were getting ready to move to one of the Safehouses. Mommy and Daddy decided to go on one last date in Arcadia while it was still safe to do so. So they left me here in this tavern with one of the workers. But that's when those bad people came along. The worker tried to fight them off, but they killed her. Then they took me away and made me swallow that icky slug that turned me into a Scavenger. I'm sure you know the rest of the story by now." Mei Lin's lips curled into a smile. "But thanks to you, it's all over! Now I get to see Mommy and Daddy again!"

"Well then let's not delay any longer." Atem suggested, "Let's go find room #7."

"Okay!" Mei Lin agreed, "The tavern rooms are that way!" Quickly Atem, Yugi and Pegasus followed the little girl as she sped up the stairs to the first floor.

* * *

"So this is the tunnel leading to the Old Fighting McDonagh's and Jet Postal." Jonouchi mused as he and his team surveyed the glass tunnel.

"The Old Fighting McDonagh's is to your left hand side." Julie directed from the Video Phone, "If there's anything else you need help with, just give me a call."

"Got it Aunt Julie! Thanks!" Honda replied before the screen flickered off.

"Dad, hang in there!" Ryouta shouted to no one in particular, "We're almost halfway there! We'll get you out of that freezer in no time!"

"I understand exactly how you feel Ryouta." Replied a voice coming from the Video Phone, which surprised everyone.

"Raiden!" Mai gasped. Raiden's head was bowed down, his voice shaky.

"I know…" he muttered, "The thought of my wife and child hiding in that filthy submarine beyond the Fisheries is enough to make my blood boil!" He lifted his head up, though his eyes were still hidden in shadow. "Jonouchi, as soon as you reunite with Atem, hurry up and get those pictures. Help me get my family out of here, and I'll be in your debt for life!"

"No need to worry about it Raiden." Jonouchi answered, "We're getting to it." The Video Phone shut off soon after.

"Huh? Raiden has a family?" Ryouta asked in surprise. "Wow, I didn't know that!"

Mai and Honda stared at the fisherman in silence. "You know…" Mai muttered, "now that you mentioned it… Raiden never told anyone that he even has a wife and child until last night."

"…So why now?" Honda asked.

"We'll talk about that later!" Jonouchi interrupts suddenly, "Right now, we've got a job to do! If we're gonna get the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow, we're going to need Atem's help!" There was no other reply as Jonouchi rushed over to the left tunnel leading to the Old Fighting McDonagh's. The others quickly followed behind him.

* * *

"There it is! Room #7!" Mei Lin shouted triumphantly as she pointed to a door in the middle of the hall, with a number 7 marked on the corner. Atem, Yugi and Pegasus surveyed the well-locked door ahead of them.

"So this is it, huh?" Atem mused.

"Yeah." Yugi answered, "No doubt the Xangs are waiting on the other side."

"What are we waiting for?" Pegasus urged, "Let's go meet them." Atem and Yugi nodded and stepped toward the small computer that acted as the lock.

"Now let's see…" Atem murmured, "The code is… 7… 5… 3, 3." He pushed the keypad to insert the corresponding numbers and pressed 'enter'. The lights went green, indicating that the door was unlocked. "Are you ready Mei Lin?" The little girl nodded excitedly, so he slowly slid the door open. The light filled into the dark room within. Aside from the chipping green paint and the dust collecting on the drawers, it seemed relatively intact. "Hello?" he called out, stepping inside. "Hello?"

"Mr. Xang? Mrs. Xang?" Yugi called, "Are you in here?"

Blossom scanned the room until suddenly her eyes widened. "Master!" she whispered, tapping his shoulder to get his attention. She pointed ahead and Pegasus' eye also widened.

"Atem Boy, Yugi Boy! They're over here!" he gasped. The two of them looked as did Mei Lin, who let out a gasp. There, lying on the air mattress bed, was a young couple holding each other in a tight embrace. Their faces were etched in anguish.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Mei Lin exclaimed happily, running toward the bed. Once she jumped on, she exclaimed, "Oh Mommy, Daddy! You're not going to believe what has happened! I made some friends who saved me from those awful monsters, and Mr. Yami over here got rid of the slug and made me human again! C'mon, I want you to meet them!" The Xangs did not answer. They didn't even move. Mei Lin's smile faded as her joy became concern. "Mommy? Daddy?" she asked, and she reached out to shake a shoulder. "Well C'mon, wake up. C-c'mon!" But still, there was no response. "W-why won't you wake up? Mommy?! Daddy?!" By then, the tears were starting to form on her eyes. And Atem and two companions had also stopped smiling.

"Something's not right." Pegasus stated. "They should be responding by now."

Atem was suddenly filled with a sense of dread. "It can't be…" Slowly he stepped over to the bed where the couple laid.

"Mr. Yami?" Mei Lin asked in confusion. He gave no reply as he put his two front fingers onto the neck of the father, and then to the neck of the mother. Only then did he get a closer look at the couple. The bodies were on their way to being withered. He stared in disbelief as the truth sank in. Then he bowed his head and began to cry. "What's wrong Mr. Yami?"

"… Mei Lin… I… I'm sorry." He replied in a low sad tone. "But I'm afraid you'll never see your Mommy and Daddy again."

The little girl frowned. "W-what do you mean? Mommy and Daddy are right here."

"No, they're not!" Atem sobbed, "They may look like they're here, but they're not! Not anymore!" Then he mustered up enough courage to tell her the dreaded news in the only way he can:

"They're angels now."

Upon hearing the word, 'angels', Mei Lin's eyes widened in horror. "N-no! NO! YOU'RE LYING! T-THEY CAN'T BE ANGELS NOW! THEY CAN'T BE DEAD! THEY CAN'T!" She too burst into tears, facing the corpses of her parents. "**MOMMY!! DADDY!!**" She simply broke down soon after, crying like she had lost her Hunter yet again.

Yugi was also in tears at the sad sight before him. "I knew we'd be enter this kind of scenario. But how did this happen? The splicers didn't kill them, did they?"

"They didn't." Pegasus answered, "Look on the drawers by the bed." Yugi and Atem did just that, their shock knew no bounds. There was a prescription bottle, left wide open with all its contents spilling out. "By the way they look, it's obvious that the Xangs have died of an overdose. And I'm sure it is no accident."

Yugi let out a gasp. "But… what could possibly drive them to suicide like this?!"

Atem's eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar machine. "Maybe this might provide our answer." He replied as he picked up the video diary and pushed play. The screen flickered on and as the snow and white noise faded, a familiar Chinese woman appeared, moving the screen as if adjusting the camera. She was crying like never before.

"_**All right, Xing Ma, the camera's rolling.**_" Stated a voice that presumably belonged to Mei Lin's father, who was off camera. "_**I know it's hard, but we need to do this… for Mei Lin's sake.**_"

"_**Okay…**_" sighed Xing Ma, Mei Lin's mother. Trying her best to compose herself, she looked on to the camera and pleaded, "_**To whoever is watching this video diary right now… We are looking for our daughter, Mei Lin Xang. If you ever find her, please, please let us know! We cannot bear the thought of our sweet child wandering the street as one of those--**_"

"_**X-Xing Ma!**_" The father suddenly shouts, startling the mother.

"_**What is it Shong?**_" she asked frantically.

"_**It's Mei Lin! I found her!**_"

She gasped in amazement, "_**You have?! Where is she?!**_"

"_**Over here! Hurry! Come quick!**_" Shong exclaimed. The screen shifted to follow the parents as they rushed to where she was found. At that moment, Shong took the camera and held it up as if to show the viewer. "_**See?! S-she's right over there! I barely recognize her, but that's her! I **__**know**__** it's her!**_" The camera revealed a horrified Xing Ma before it shifted to the image of a Hunter with an arm drill, letting out a whale call. With him was Mei Lin… the way she was before Atem rescued her.

"…_**You're kidding me!**_" Xing Ma gasped, "_**T-that **__**thing**__**?! That **__**poor thing**__**?! **__**That's**__** our Mei Lin?!**_" The camera does a close up of her, draining Nagi from a corpse and singing a little tune:

"_**Mr. Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles,**_

_**Are you there? Are you there?**_

_**Come and get my lollies, come and get my toppies,**_

_**Teddy bears, teddy bears…**_"

From behind the camera, the mother and father were both breaking down as their sweet daughter gulped down the contents of her syringe. Once she was done, she reached out her hand to her bodyguard. "_**Let's go Mr. Bubbles. There's more angels waiting to be found.**_" The Bouncer gently took hold of her hand and together, they moved on. Not once did she even see her heartbroken parents. Xing Ma let out a cry of anguish before she embraced her husband, both knowing that what they had seen is true.

"_**MEI LIN!!**_" she screamed as tears flowed from her eyes. As if on cue, the screen quickly went blank, signaling that the camera was turned off.

"Now it all makes sense." Pegasus noted, "No family in Kyoki ever wants to see their children become Scavengers in the first place, but there are a few families that would actually attempt to prevent the transformation. It turns out the Xangs are one of those few… when Miss Mei Lin was kidnapped, they had hoped that she would be rescued before the rapture slug even gets a chance to enter her stomach. But in the end, like most families before them, their efforts were in vain. So when they finally found her, as a poor Scavenger, they must have lost all of their hope… and their will to live."

Atem was speechless. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Slowly, he turned around and clenched his hand into a fist so tight that he thought he was going to cut open his palm. More tears flowed down his cheeks… tears of fury. "This is Ryu Mutou's fault!" he growled in a low tone, "He's to blame!"

Yugi turned around and glared. _I couldn't agree with you more._

Atem looked at his doppelganger in surprise, and he immediately felt within the boy a burning hatred. _You have a grudge against that self-proclaimed King of Kyoki, don't you?_

Yugi nodded, looking over to the heartbroken Mei Lin. _It's personal. **Very** personal._

Suddenly, there was the sound of crumbling rocks coming from the ceiling in the hallway. Atem and his companions spun around to the source of the noise in shock. Mei Lin looked up out of the door and let out a gasp of horror.

"A Scavenger!" shrieked a familiar voice from the ceiling, "Shiva will be dining on Nagi tonight!" In an instant, the arm-bladed splicer landed gracefully on the ground. Mei Lin screamed at the sight of this creature.

"Splicer!" Atem hollered.

"Out of the way!" Yugi commanded and he quickly summoned his illusional duplicate. The splicer immediately sped after the red herring.

"No parasite or traitor will deny me my prize!" the splicer bellowed. With the distraction in place, Yugi sped over to the bed and picked her up.

"Get out here, NOW!" Atem shouted. And in a flash he and his companions began to make their exit.

* * *

Jonouchi and his team had just entered the Old Fighting McDonagh's when they heard a loud noise coming from the hallway. "You hear that?!" Ryouta blurted. "It sounds like there's a splicer back there!"

"Is it a spider splicer?!" Honda asked.

"And if it is, what kind is it?!" Mai hollered.

"Only one way to find out!" Jonouchi stated, rushing ahead of the group, "C'mon let's head up that hallway!" He had just dashed up the stairs when… BAM! He collided straight into a familiar face. The impact was so great that it sent them both flying back. At least the person he collided with managed to stay on his feet—Jonouchi was knocked off of his, and he landed unceremoniously onto the floor. He was thankful that none of the glass shards got imbedded into his butt. "What the?! Who just--" He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, for when he looked up his eyes grew wide. When they saw what their friend was staring at, Honda, Mai and Ryouta all let out a gasp in amazement.

Atem rubbed his head and let out a groan. Then he too looked up, and he was just as surprised. "Jonouchi! Everyone! Is that you?!"

"Thank God!" Pegasus sighed in relief, "For a moment I thought we ran into more splicers!"

"Oi! Jonouchi fall down and go boom!" Blossom squeaked.

"Atem!" Jonouchi exclaimed as he rose to his feet. "Boy are we glad to see you!" He was about to rush in to hug his friend when Yugi suddenly came into view, still clutching Mei Lin in his arms.

"Atem! Are you all right?" Yugi asked in concern.

Jonouchi was all bug-eyed with disbelief. He blinked once, then twice. "Wh-wha…?!" he stuttered, looking back and forth between Atem and Yugi. "Two Atems?!" The confusion became too much for him. "AARGH! Now I know I'm going nuts! All right Atem, fess up! Did you find some kind of Clone plasmid or something? Which one of you is the real Atem anyway?!"

Honda, Mai and Ryouta also stared in surprise, but for a completely different reason. "I knew it!" Mai gasped, "I knew there was something about Atem that was familiar!"

Honda took a step forward, knowing exactly what the violet-eyed shutterbug was talking about. "Yugi!" Honda exclaimed to Jonouchi's astonishment, "What are you doing here?!"

Yugi let out a playful chuckle. "Surprised to see me, Honda? I'm serving as Mei Lin's escort." The little girl tried to his her face in the doppelganger's chest.

"It's all right Mei Lin." Atem reassured, "These people are my friends. They won't hurt you."

"Well in either case, it's good to see you again Yugi!" Ryouta greeted.

Jonouchi paused as he took in all the information. "So he's not some kind of clone?"

"Of course I'm not." Yugi explained, "But my Illusional Clone plasmid is distracting this splicer back there."

"Splicer?! Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Jonouchi gasped, "Mai, get your digital research camera ready!"

"Okay!" answered Mai as she followed the battle sound to it source. Jonouchi stepped up to join his friend.

"Peach Wilkins needs three photos of three different spider splicers before she can let us in the Fisheries. We got one so far, so now we need your help to get the other two!" Jonouchi explained.

"Right!" Atem responded. And with that the others joined the shutterbug back to Room #7. The spider splicer with the arm blades was still locked in combat with Yugi's illusional duplicate, which was beginning to fade away.

"Awesome!" Jonouchi commented when he saw the duplicate. "This must be the Illusional Clone you're talking about!"

"Yep, that's my plasmid at work." Yugi admitted.

"His physique is unmistakable. He definitely a spider splicer." Mai noted, pointing to the splicer in combat, "But with sword blades for arms, he's no common variety. That's means we found our second subject."

"Well if you want to take a picture of that splicer, now's the time to do so!" Yugi warned, "My plasmid is about to wear off!"

Mai lifted her camera, focusing the lens. The splicer was a bit of a blur, and the duplicate faded further still. "C'mon, strike a good pose for me you bastard." she growled in frustration.

"Hurry Mai!" Honda shouted. Finally the spider splicer leaped up, his arm blades gleaming in the light.

"Yes!" Mai cheered in triumph and she snapped the photo just before the duplicate vanished with a scream. The splicer looked up.

"YOU DEMONS OF IGNORACE!" He bellowed, and he lunged himself toward the violet-eyed shutterbug.

"MAI, WATCH OUT!" Jonouchi exclaimed, and he grabbed the horrified Mai by the arm to pull her away from the door.

Likewise, the other members of the team ran out of the way toward the bar just as the splicer crashed on to the wall and crawled on hot pursuit from there to the ceiling. "I WILL SEE TO IT THAT YOU BE CRUSHED UNDERFOOT BY SHIVA'S DANCE OF DESTRUCTION!"

"You wanted proof that this is a digital research camera right?" Mai stated to Atem, "Well, here it is!" On the screen was the photo of the splicer in question, which was ordinary enough in the eyes of Atem. But that assumption faded completely when she pushed the button. The screen changed completely into data mode, showing the splicer in a 3-D rendition and his description in full detail. Atem was amazed as he skimmed over the data, and now he understood what made this digital camera different from all the others: it was a computer in its own right!

_**Brown Recluse**_

_**A more powerful member of the spider splicer groupings, the Brown Recluse is second only to his female counterpart, the Black Widow. They are formed when a Black Widow captures a common male spider splicer and makes him part of her "harem". It is unknown how she triggers the evolution, but when it is complete the Brown Recluse is left with bony blades of steel for arms and glands in his mouth containing a venom that makes his victims nauseous. Like his lesser kin, he is vulnerable to antipersonnel rounds and fire, but due to his improved stamina and reflexes it is more difficult to exploit those weaknesses.**_

"What a clever tool!" Atem commented.

"BEHIND YOU!" Pegasus hollered. Atem and Mai looked back and sure enough the Brown Recluse was nose-diving right toward them, his mouth wide open! Atem sped out of the way, but Mai was not so lucky. The splicer bit her on the shoulder, injecting the nauseating venom. She screamed in pain, but she managed to push off her attacker to avoid further injury.

"MAI!" exclaimed Jonouchi in shock.

"Don't worry about me. I'm all right." Mai reassured. Or at least she tried to. Unfortunately she was beginning to feel sick to her stomach, and it won't be long before that feeling would intensify. The sandy blonde's shock quickly became rage and he glared at the Brown Recluse. Fueling his Blaze into his sword, he leaped forward in a direct attack. The Brown Recluse lifted his arm blades to block the attack and avoid being burned, and the sword fight went underway. The spider splicer swung at him with one arm blade, then the other, then tried to jump at him with both. _Damn!_ Jonouchi thought as he blocked the onslaught. _The way that creep fights… he reminds me of that Voldo guy from the Soul Calibur game I used to play!_ The memory of a certain battle suddenly filled his head. _Wait a sec… now that I think about it, Kaiba fought me the exact same way!_

Good thing he discovered this sense of déjà vu when he did. He realized that he had dropped his guard when he saw his opponent lifting his leg in attempt to kick him in the stomach! "Oh no, not this time!" Before the Brown Recluse even had a chance to react Jonouchi grabbed the ankles with his left hand, which started glowing with a heat so intense that the boot basically caught on fire!

"AAAUGH! FIRE! **FIRE**!!" the splicer bellowed as he hopped up and down on one leg while his other foot became a torch. In a panic he rushed into the open bathroom—and stuck the flaming boot into the flooded toilet!

"Eeeww! That's not how you use the potty!" Blossom blurted with disgust.

"I've said this once and I'll say it again." Ryouta muttered, "If he wasn't so dangerous, I'd be laughing right now." The Brown Recluse hobbled out with a charred boot panting heavily.

"Must… get… Nagi!" he stammered before jumping once more onto the ceiling. His eyes soon laid on Yugi, rushing toward the nearby Scavenger's vent with Mei Lin still in his grasp. Pegasus started shooting his machine gun, but the splicer was too fast. So just when Yugi was about to reach the vent, the monster jumped down right in front of them. Mei Lin screamed in horror. "I have you now little brat!" shouted the Brown Recluse in triumph. He swung an arm blade sideways, but Yugi dodged that attack and attempted to run the other way. But the monster lunged at the doppelganger and struck him through the calf of his right leg, pinning him down and causing him to fall! As Yugi fell, the little girl to slipped out of his arms and landed not so far away.

"Yugi! Mei Lin!" Atem shouted.

Yugi tried to get up, but he was stuck fast. Blood gushed out from the wound, and the pain was terrible. Tugging his leg only made things worse. "Heh heh heh heh. Now die!" declared the Brown Recluse as he lifted his other arm blade and aimed it to the boy's heart. Yugi could only stare in horror as the blade sped toward him. _Atem, HELP!_

Atem clenched his fist in growing fury, and fueled his Bolt plasmid to the brink. "STAY AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!" The spider splicer stopped in mid thrust and turned to face the man who dared to interrupt him. Quickly, the Bolt wielder unleashed his Overdrive Ability. "PLASMA BOLT!" The Brown Recluse pulled his arm blade out of his target's leg, then stood up angrily to face his enemy. But it was too late. The Plasma Bolt struck him in full force, and now he was paralyzed by its electric grip. "Jonouchi! According to our digital research camera, the Brown Recluse is weak against fire! Finish him off!"

"You got it!" Jonouchi answered, fueling the power of his Blaze into his sword. "SPINNING INFERNO!" There was no escape for the splicer now, and he uttered a scream of agony as his body was engulfed in flames. Then in mere seconds he fell lifelessly to the floor. After that his scream was silenced forever.

The Brown Recluse was vanquished.

Note: And so ends this chapter for Plasmashock. If you're wondering why Bakura left so suddenly, you'll get the answers very soon. Anyway, after the battle with the Brown Recluse is over, there's only one spider splicer type left: the Black Widow. In the next chapter, our heroes will be fighting two of them! More secrets are revealed as well, but you'll just have to read if you want to find out what they are. Until Next Time!


	19. Chapter 19

Note: Oh boy! I finally got this chapter finished! I'm sorry it took so long to get this up, but my muse has been bonking me on the head after I created some custom characters for the Guitar Hero series and played as them in both Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero. I need a lot of help to bring my characters to life so I can spin a brand new story, "Guitar Hero: Shining Nova"! But anyway, it's time to pick up where we left off in the new chapter of Plasmashock! I hope you enjoy it!

Due to certain gory scenes in this chapter, one of which happens to involve a Scavenger, I must repeat this warning: This fanfiction was rated 'M' for a _very good reason_!

**Chapter 19: Kiss of the Black Widows**

For a few seconds the team watched on as the fire burned the spider splicer's mangled corpse. When the blaze was finally extinguished it was remarkable that the corpse didn't burn to ashes, but there was no doubt that its features were now beyond recognition. Immediately Atem rushed over to his doppelganger, who was struggling to stand with his wounded leg. "Yugi! Are you all right?"

"Ow… Thanks Atem." Yugi replied gratefully once he was on his feet, "For a moment, I thought I was a goner! It all happened so fast, I didn't even get a chance to fight back. I'm just glad that Brown Recluse didn't break my leg… Is Mei Lin all right?"

As if to answer his question, Mei Lin got up on her hands and knees and crawled over to her two guardians. "Mr. Yami! Yugi!"

"Mei Lin! Thank goodness you're safe!" Yugi exclaimed, reaching out to give a hug to the little girl even as the pain seared through his leg.

"I was so scared Yugi!" she cried, "I thought the monster was going to kill you the way Mr. Bubbles was killed!"

"Well you don't have to worry sweetie. I'm safe, you're safe… we're both safe, and it's all thanks to Yami and his friends."

"I-it was nothing!" Atem muttered sheepishly.

Yugi looked up at the Bolt wielder and smiled. "How can it be nothing? Your Overdrive Ability is incredible!" He paused as he turned his head toward the sandy blonde. "And yours too… Jonouchi, right?"

"Yeah! I'm Jonouchi Katsuya!" Jonouchi introduced, shaking Yugi's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Yugi. I admit you got me confused since you looked like Atem and stuff, but really, you're not so bad yourself!"

"Well, my Illusional Clone plasmid does make for a perfect target dummy when I'm outnumbered." Yugi explained, "Anyway, are you from the surface? Because I've never seen you around the streets of Kyoki before."

"I've never been to Kyoki before, period!" Jonouchi answered, "You got me right on the nose!"

"And the funny thing is I came from the surface too." Atem admitted with a chuckle.

"Really?!" Yugi gasped. The conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Mai emptying her stomach not so far away.

"Mai!" Jonouchi hollered rushing over as Honda was setting up his Nami antidote. The violet-eyed shutterbug clasped a hand over her mouth to keep the vomit from spewing any further.

"She's hasn't been feeling so good since that Brown Recluse bit her, but she'll be fine as soon as I give her the Nami anti-venom." Honda reassured as he injected the serum into her arm.

Jonouchi breathed a sigh of relief, when it suddenly dawned on him. "How come you didn't join the fight Honda?" he asked. Honda took his pistol and spanked on the top. Within seconds dirty water spewed out of its barrel like a clog out of a drain.

"A 'present' left over from Kaiba's Overdrive Ability." He answered sullenly, "When the ice melted, the water somehow leaked into my pistol and ruined the gunpowder! It was supposed to be one of those waterproof models… damn…"

"At least my harpoon bazooka is waterproof…" Ryouta noted, "Must have been due to being in the Freezer for so long. I could have used it, but there was a little girl in the battlefield. I mean, she's not a Scavenger anymore and if I fired at that Brown Recluse and he redirects my harpoon… I don't want to think about what might have happened! To me, harming a comrade in arms is bad enough as it is." He spied the corpse slumping on the bar and noticed that there was a pistol strapped on its belt. Carefully he pulled it out of its sheath. "Here, try this." He suggested as he tossed the pistol toward the Telekinesis wielder. Honda caught the gun and loaded it with bullets. Then to test it out, he fired it on a bottle on the counter. It worked perfectly.

"Thanks Ryouta." Honda replied gratefully, "I guess it'll have to do until my pistol gets repaired and upgraded at a Power to the People station."

Atem's Video Phone flickered on at that moment, revealing the annoyed expression of Peach Wilkins. "Well Atem, it's about time you got back to yer buddies!" she snapped, "Y'all gonna get my digital snappies or **are ya just sightseein'**?! QUIT STALLIN' ALREADY!!" It was enough to make everybody flinch, even the Bolt wielder. Seeing that she got her point across, Peach hung up on the team with a huff.

"And here I thought my math teacher was tough…" Atem muttered.

"Ugh… she's got a point though." Mai noted, standing up on unsteady legs. "We need to get the last photo before she can let us in the Fisheries. By the looks of it, she's starting to lose her patience."

"Maybe I can help." Yugi suggested. "But first…" He picked Mei Lin up and asked, "Are you ready to go back to Anzu and Tenenbaum?" The little girl nodded and once more he headed toward the tunnel that was her hiding place.

"Mr. Yami?" Mei Lin stated suddenly when they got there.

"What is it Mei Lin?" Atem asked.

She smiled at him and replied, "Thank you so much for helping me today."

Atem just stared blankly at her before he asked, "You're not… angry at me?"

"Of course I'm not angry!" Mei Lin giggled. "What's makes you think that?"

The Bolt wielder grew sad. "I've worked so hard to reunite you with your parents… but they were already dead when we found them. I… I failed you…!" The tears threatened to flow from his eyes.

"You didn't fail me Mr. Yami!" Mei Lin answered softly, "I may be sad that Mommy and Daddy are gone, but at least I know they're watching over me as angels now. And guess what: You watched over me too! You saved Kyle from that sea slug in his belly, and you saved Yugi and me from being killed by that monster! There's no need to be sad, because you've done a lot of good things for all of us!" Atem wiped away the tears before they could fall. Then he gave a small smile.

"You're right Mei Lin." He replied. "Thank you." Grinning, the little girl climbed into the hole with Yugi's help. "I hope I can see you again soon."

"We will Mr. Yami! See you later!" She waved goodbye before she crawled into the darkness and disappeared.

Once she was gone, Yugi turned his attention toward the Bolt wielder. "Shall we get going?"

"Of course." Atem replied.

"There's just one problem." Jonouchi noted, "We don't know where we could find the third spider splicer."

"Perhaps I might be of some assistance." Pegasus suggested. "Blossom, scan the map for any Black Widow splicers in the area."

Blossom let out a tiny terrified "EEK!" before she stuttered, "Y-yes Master… I'll search the area." She picked up a tiny laptop and went into scan mode. It wasn't long before she let out a scream of horror. "AIEEEE! THERE'S ONE LOCATED IN JET POSTAL SERVICES NOT FAR AWAY! And she's very, very scary…"

"Jet Postal Services?" Ryouta queried. "That's the same place where Togashi got tortured…"

"Then why not kill two birds with one stone?" Jonouchi asked with a smirk, "We can find that Black Widow and we can find out what happened during that interrogation."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Honda exclaimed, "Jet Postal is straight across from here! Let's go!"

* * *

It proved to be a rather short trip indeed, for their destination was right on the other side of the tunnel. "I told you it wasn't very far." Honda replied, making poor Blossom shake with ever-increasing fear. The screen on Atem's Video Phone suddenly flickered on, revealing a familiar face.

"What's up? It's good to see all of you together again." Raiden greeted.

"Raiden!" Atem greeted likewise, "Good to see you again!" Yugi, on the other hand, let out a small gasp of shock and immediately grew wary. Nevertheless, he decided to keep quiet as the conversation continued. "We've got two photos so far." Atem continued, "Now all we need is the Black Widow."

"If that's the case, then be very careful in there." Raiden warned, "They're not only deadly killers, but also the 'mother' of spider splicers. Normally she would kill her prey, which is just about anyone who isn't a spider splicer. But if she finds someone she deems attractive, she'll 'adopt' that person into her 'family'. I once knew a friend who was captured by one of those Black Widows. He was already descending into splicerdom when he caught her eye, for he was incompatible with the Nagi he equipped. So when I saw him again, he had become a common spider splicer. I had no other choice but to kill him after that. I don't know what happens when a Black Widow decides to 'adopt' a Plasmund, and I'm sure you don't want to find out."

"We'll keep that in mind." Atem replied before the screen flickered off. He turned toward Yugi, only to find that the doppelganger was glaring. "What's wrong?"

After a slight pause, Yugi answered bluntly, "Nothing. Let's just go and get the photo, okay?" Although he was surprised at this tone of voice, Atem nevertheless nodded and watched as the doppelganger stepped toward the door. The rest of the team followed in suit and soon they got a glimpse of Jet Postal. It was similar to a modern post office, but there were shelves that were battered to splinters and post office boxes. Shredded paper and cardboard littered the floor from several sides and the air within the whole room was saturated with the now familiar scent of moisture and death.

"I guess even this place has seen better days." Jonouchi muttered.

As the team made their entrance, Mai, now fully recovered from her previous fight, lifted up her digital research camera and her hand crossbow. "Keep your eyes peeled everyone. You never know when our model would be ready for the catwalk." Suddenly a loud noise blasted from behind the closed door of a closet in the back, causing Blossom to scream in terror.

"What was that?!" Honda exclaimed, "Is that her?!"

"Hold on!" Atem commanded, "It sounded like electricity… as if something had short circuited!"

Ryouta had a thoughtful look about him. "I've heard about Togashi being tortured in the back room of this place. Could this be the one?" The fisherman cautiously stepped toward that door, slowly wrapping his fingers around the knob as he entered the four-digit code he learned from the video diary he and Jonouchi obtained. Then once it was unlocked, he swung it open in one swift movement. The team was met with a horrifying sight. A mangled half-preserved corpse of what looked like a fisherman was hanging by chains to the ceiling, and there was a battery attached to its torso. "Togashi…!" Ryouta gasped. "Dad told me he was tortured, but he never said anything about this!"

Jonouchi noticed a machine lying at the corpse's feet and picked it up. It was a video diary. "Check it out guys." He called to the others. "Here's the 'entertainment' that Sullivan was talking about." When he saw the confused expression written all over Atem's face, he explained, "My group and I found a video diary that showed the capture of one of Dartz's former smugglers. That Sullivan guy said something about 'interviewing' him, and I figured that this is what he meant. Still, I'm a bit curious as to what happened to him." He pushed play, and as everyone watched the screen revealed a certain African American police officer.

"_**Is it on?**_" Sullivan asked.

"_**Yeah Chief, it's rolling.**_" Replied a person off camera.

The Chief of Police sighed, "_**Let's get it over with…**_" He stepped toward a fisherman in chains, and the camera followed.

"No doubt that's Togashi." Ryouta noted as the torture session began onscreen.

Sullivan grabbed the smuggler by the cuff of his shirt and growled, "_**All right Togashi listen up! I wanted to save us both the trouble, but Mr. Mutou asked me personally to do whatever it takes to make it clear to you. You give us Dartz and that dirty ring of his, and you can go back to watching football with your homies up at the Fighting McDonagh's. But if you still want to play 'cops and robbers'…**_"—he slammed the battery onto Togashi's exposed torso—"_**…we'll be more than happy to play along.**_" He faced an officer near a machine and commanded, "_**Give him a taste, Dan.**_" The officer, Dan, turned on the switch and Togashi screamed as the electricity flowed through his body. And it was getting clear that he couldn't take a whole lot more.

"_**G-g-gooooo…**_" Togashi began to stammer as he grimaced in pain.

"_**What's that?**_" Sullivan barked, "_**Change of heart Togashi? TOGASHI!**_" Immediately Dan flipped the switch off, leaving Togashi panting. "_**Ready to talk now?**_"

Togashi lifted his head up to reveal a menacing glare. "_**Go on Sullivan… do your worst!**_" he panted, "_**…Whatever Mutou thinks he can do to me, DARTZ CAN DO DOUBLE!!**_" Sullivan sighed and faced the camera once again.

"_**Turn off the camera.**_" He quoted, "_**Our viewers have seen enough.**_" The screen became snowy, and the entry was over.

"Ugh. Leave it to Dartz to betray his own followers." Ryouta growled, "Good thing my Dad left the cartel before the same thing could happen to him…" A familiar sound suddenly made its announcement to the team… the sound of something crawling on the ceiling.

"EEEK! She's coming!" Blossom screamed. Startled, Atem rushed out to the main office brandishing his quarterstaff.

"Atem, wait!" Jonouchi shouted as he and the rest of the team rushed out to join him.

"Well… hey there Pretty Boy!" a sweet feminine voice cooed seductively from the ceiling. The Bolt wielder looked up and was horrified to see a female spider splicer with steel bone blades growing from below her knees… and she was speeding right toward him! He had no time to react as she landed right on top of him. They fell to the floor, where she pinned him down.

"Atem!" exclaimed the others in horror. Atem couldn't help but cringe as the splicer came closer to his face. It was obvious that she was not as beautiful as her voice implied.

She began to stroke his cheek with slender fingers. "My, my, my! I've never seen such a charming young prince like you before." Horrified and disgusted at the same time, Atem pushed her away and scrambled backward until he hit a nearby wall in a stiff seated position. "Oh come now, stop playing hard to get!" the spider splicer chuckled as she crawled after him. To the Bolt wielder's mounting dismay, she caught up with him easily, climbing up on her knees to put a hand on his shoulder. Chapped lips curled into a seductive smile. "Mmm, you look good enough to eat!" she cooed, licking his face with a slimy tongue. "Mind if I have a taste?" She spread the fingers of her right hand and dug her claw-like nails into Atem's thigh, right below his hip. He gasped in pain as his flesh was torn open, releasing his blood. Then his horror escalated as she slowly began to drag her nails across his lower body, aiming right toward his crotch! He braced himself for the impact.

"Get your hands off of my friend!" Yugi barked, throwing his bladed cards at the splicer. She screamed in pain as the cards hit their mark, and she released the Bolt wielder from her grasp. The glare she gave to the doppelganger twisted her already deformed face.

"NO ONE ASKED YOU TO JOIN IN!" The splicer screeched, and she leaped right towards him, brandishing her two sickles. But Yugi was ready. He activated his Illusional Clone. Then just as his enemy was about to strike, he leapt out of the way, leaving an illusional duplicate in his place! With the distraction at work, Yugi rushed to the Bolt wielder's aid.

"Atem! Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

Atem hissed in pain as he was lifted to his feet. The blood trickled down his leg, and now he could see the claw marks that marred his thigh. He was relieved to know that they never reached their intended target. "Ra, I thought she had me." He muttered under his breath. He then gave his doppelganger a smile and replied, "Thank you Yugi."

"No problem." Yugi stated, "My Illusional Clone doesn't always work, though. As a certain splicer reaches the height of power, they begin to see through the illusion. When that happens, they become extremely difficult to fool. It's for that reason that I tend to pull the old switcheroo on such splicers, especially when there's only just one. It's a strategy that heightens my success rate when I'm not using my Overdrive Ability."

"Very clever Yugi Boy!" Pegasus praised as he readied the Nami serum for the Bolt Wielder.

"Well now that she's distracted, it's time to take her picture." Mai proclaimed. She lifted her digital research camera, following the splicer's movements. "C'mon! Hold still!" she growled. Then finally, she snapped her photo at the right moment. "Got it!" Everyone crowded around the violet-eyed shutterbug as she showed her photo. The subject was in the perfect action pose, beautiful and deadly. When she changed to data mode, the subject was rendered into three dimensions. Nearby was the description of the splicer in full detail.

_**Black Widow**_

_**The most powerful of the spider splicer varieties, the Black Widow evolves from the common female spider splicer as part of a 'graduation ritual' within her 'family', which is always performed in the presence of an older Back Widow. She is considered the 'mother' of all other spider splicers except the Tarantula, whose power as an elite splicer trumps them all. Like the Brown Recluse, the Black Widow has venom glands in her mouth, but her venom is far more deadly than her male counterpart; it has the potential to kill her victims. For this reason, she not only bites her prey, but also coats the venom onto her sickles and the bone blades that replaced her calves. Some speculate that this venom is also used to create other spider splicers, usually from common thug splicers deemed attractive enough to 'adopt' into her 'family'. This spider splicer can shrug off the wounds made from antipersonnel rounds, but retains her vulnerability to fire. Even so, splicer hunters must proceed with caution when facing these deadly opponents.**_

"That's the last one!" Honda announced.

"It's about time!" Ryouta cheered. Atem's Video Phone flickered on just as his wounds had finished healing. The Bolt wielder knew immediately who was on the other side of the screen.

"Raiden!" Atem exclaimed, "We got all the photos!"

"Great job!" Raiden complemented, "Now take your team and head on back to the Fisheries when you're ready, would you kindly?" For a brief moment, a turquoise circle-star appeared on Atem's forehead. His eyes widened and he clutched his head as if in pain.

"Y-yes Raiden." Atem stuttered as he slowly regained his senses.

"What's wrong now?" Jonouchi asked in concern.

"Nothing." Atem replied hastily. "Let's head back to the Fisheries."

"…Yeah. Right!" Jonouchi agreed. "But first let's put this Black Widow to rest." He summoned a fireball from his Blaze plasmid, striking the distracted splicer. The Black Widow let out a scream and jumped up to the ceiling.

"Take this Bitch!" Ryouta hollered, firing his harpoon bazooka. The harpoon struck its target right in her heart, and with one final scream the Black Widow fell to the ground and died. "Serves you right for trying to hurt our friend!"

It was at that moment that Yugi stepped through the door. "I suppose from here, this is where we part."

"Thanks again for helping us, Yugi." Jonouchi replied gratefully. "I sure wish you could stay with us longer."

"Me too." Atem added, "You really saved my life back here."

_It's my pleasure Atem. And you don't really have to worry about us separating._ Yugi assured mentally with a smile. _Even if we're apart physically, we still have our telepathy. We'll still be in touch._

_Just be careful._ Atem stated.

Yugi nodded. "Bye guys!" With that, Yugi sped out ahead of the team and he was gone.

"Atem, would you mind telling me what's going on?" Jonouchi asked. "You and Yugi looked like you were having some kind of staring contest."

"We were just having a conversation Jonouchi." Atem answered. "Let's head on over to the Atlantis Fisheries." The others stared in slight confusion as he too stepped through the door, but pushed their thoughts to the side as they followed after them.

* * *

Heavy footsteps echoed in the main wharf, as did the mechanical song of a humpback whale. The sound was accompanied by the giggle of a little girl, her voice accompanied by a distorted tone. "Time to go Mr. B." the voice urged cheerfully. A Scavenger girl stepped into view. She stopped briefly to wave at someone behind her. "C'mon!" More heavy footsteps followed, Soon a Hunter lumbered in, letting out a whale call equivalent of a whine. Unseen by either of them, a figure with long spiky white hair and blue eyes peeked out from the shadows high upon the ledge.

Bakura gave a sadistic grin as he watched the pair walk by. "My day couldn't get any luckier than this. Not only do I find the plasmid I was looking for, I find this Scavenger on the move, searching once again for bodies to rob. And as usual, she's guarded by one of those oversized chunks of rusty metal." He activated his Security Target plasmid, allowing a blue glob to pop out of his wrist. "Heh heh heh heh, now that is what I call perfect timing!" He squeezed the glob tight until it burst open. In an instant several smaller globs emerged from his skin in a pattern similar to that of Pegasus' Rage plasmid. "Enjoy your time with the Scavenger, Big Daddy. Because thanks to my new Security Command Overdrive Ability, it's going to be your last!" In record speed all the blue globs popped out of his skin at once, and they were sent flying outward in several directions at once. But the path they were going in was not as random as it appeared. As if guided by Bakura's thoughts, they all struck their target—not the Big Daddy himself, but several working security cameras and turrets! The lights on the cameras flashed, signaling that they were now under his control. Mentally, he guided the cameras and turrets to his intended target. The Cameras sounded the alarm, and the turrets began shooting.

"Look out Mr. B!" the Scavenger screamed, pointing to the incoming threat. The Hunter threw a grenade at an incoming firebomb launched by one of the turrets. The attack was diverted, but thanks to Bakura's Overdrive Ability, the power of the turrets was doubled; for a moment the Big Daddy was knocked off his feet. It wasn't long after that before the Security Bots began to swarm into the wharf in very large numbers. They fired. The Rosie tried to fire back with his rivet gun, but his efforts were met with little success. The Bots surrounded him like a swarm of locusts and the turrets continued to strike their target, saturating the whole diving suit with the brute's own blood. Against such overwhelming attacks, the Hunter was helpless. With a loud moan, he fell to the ground with a heavy thump and moved no more. The Scavenger stared in horror as the Security Bots flew away and the turrets grew still. "Mr. B! MR. B!!!" she screamed as she ran toward the corpse of her guardian, her tears flowing like a river. Bakura grinned sadistically, watching his prey mourn the loss of her companion.

"Mission Accomplished…" he chuckled. "Time to milk the little shit for all she's worth." With catlike grace, he jumped down from the ledge and yanked the Scavenger from where she stood. Upon seeing the hacker, she let out a scream of horror and tried to escape. "Shut up you filthy little brat!" Bakura barked, slapping the girl on the cheek and tightening his harsh grip. "Look at it this way: At least you won't die for nothing!" He thrust his hand onto the Scavenger's stomach and grabbed a chunk of flesh like it was bread dough. Again she screamed as he ripped the skin and muscle from her tender belly, blood splattering in its wake. He took a bite out of the raw flesh, chewing it as he threw the 'leftover' chunk to the side. Then, before the wound even got a chance to heal, he thrust his hand on her stomach again. This time it penetrated deep inside his victim. More blood gushed out like a tidal wave and soon the vital fluid was flowing from right out of her mouth and nose. The little girl coughed, and slowly fell silent the moment Bakura's hand had reached his prize. In one fluid movement he ripped his bloody hand out of the small battered body. In his grip was the rapture slug, which still quivered and shrieked. The host convulsed like in a seizure, then grew limp as she died. Bakura dropped his fresh kill, laughing in triumph of his wicked deed. "A perfect harvest!" he cackled. Holding up his right arm, he allowed the slug to bite him. Unlike most sea slugs, the rapture slug had razor sharp teeth that can inject the Nagi it secretes, much like a cobra with its venom. As always, Bakura took advantage of this fact. He held down the slug and squeezed hard so he can inject all 160 Nagi into his bloodstream. Power pulsed throughout his body by the time he was done. "Now that feels good!" With the rapture slug now drained of its Nagi, Bakura tossed it away and bent down near the fresh corpse of the Scavenger he harvested. Dead or alive, she had become just like any other child without the slug, so Bakura didn't hesitate open it up further to feast on her vital organs. "Mmm-mm! Nothing like fresh meat with a touch of leftover Nagi! Of course… these Nagi factories are getting harder to come by these days," he muttered as he proceeded to eat the heart. "Especially now that Tenenbaum and her granddaughter are starting to interfere. To think that they have recruited my new pawns for aid in their blasted rescue mission!" He chuckled a bit before swallowing. "But that doesn't matter. It's not like anything they do could get in the way of my plans." Suddenly a loud bang rang out somewhere in the wharf, forcing him to look up. "What the?!" he barked before he saw a shadow coming amidst the billowing smoke. "Damn it! I got to get outta here!" Furious by the interruption, he quickly rose up to his feet and dashed away from the corpse, wiping the blood off his mouth. "Every time I start dinner someone comes at the door and crashes the party!" As soon as the hacker was gone, a figure emerged. It was a young man, barely sixteen years old, with pale blonde hair. He wore a lavender vest shirt with no sleeves, with chains loosely holding it together. He also had beige pants tattered at the cuffs, and plain black leather boots. All were stained with blood splatters, except for a pair of gold ankh-shaped earrings shining in the light. What's more disturbing was that his skin was very pale with a gray pallor. His eyes were a lavender glow, with neither iris nor pupil. In one hand was a syringe in the shape of a shotgun, and in the other was an Egyptian-styled dagger. The young man scanned his surroundings… and gasped when he saw the mangled corpse of the little Scavenger.

He rushed forward and kneeled down to inspect the damage. "It can't be…! Another victim!" the young man gasped. "Unspeakable! Who could possibly harvest my fellows to that extent of… **brutality**?!" Suddenly he felt a jerk from within his own stomach, and he clutched it as if in pain. "Pfft… All right, all right! You'll get your Nagi soon!" He stood up and proceeded to search for some nearby corpses to drain. "I wish Ishizu were here…"

* * *

Atem led his team down the path leading to the Main Wharf, keeping an eye for splicers along the way. "Would you guys hurry up already?!" Ryouta complained.

"Patience my friend." Pegasus assured. "We're almost there."

Atem's Video Phone started signaling a call, and the Bolt Wielder picked it up in time to see Raiden on the screen. "Atem," he said, "I'd like to talk to you for a bit."

"Go on." Atem encouraged.

"My wife, Chai Mi," Raiden explained, "she can be a pain in the neck sometimes. But on the whole she is a true beauty." His tears began to flow then. "I can't help but think that Heaven is punishing me for bringing her and Fei Won to this place. I thought we could have a better life down here… Could you imagine a bigger fool than that? I never told anyone about either of them… because I didn't want to put them in danger. But now it seems like they could be in danger anyway."

"Oh, I'm very sorry…" Atem sighed.

"Yeah, me too." Jonouchi added.

"Don't worry Raiden. Rest assured, we'll get your family out of here in no time." Honda reassured.

Raiden wiped the tears. "Thank you." He sighed, "Please hurry!" The screen went blank.

_I could imagine a bigger fool._ replied a familiar voice from within Atem's head.

_Yugi?_ he gasped.

_You and the others seemed moved by that story Raiden just told you._ Yugi noted, and the Bolt wielder soon sensed a frown. _But I do not trust him. And to be honest, I don't think you should trust him either._

_Why not?_

_Believe me… I know more about him than most._

"Hey!" Blossom squeaked suddenly, "Heeey!"

"What is it Blossom?!" Mai asked.

"I've just detected something strange up ahead in the Main Wharf!" the doll replied hurriedly. "I-it's like a Scavenger… only older!"

Everyone except Atem and Jonouchi let out a gasp. "No way!" Mai exclaimed in shock, "Could it really be?!"

"Let's go everyone! Hurry!" Pegasus urged, rushing ahead. Honda, Mai and Ryouta hurried onward. Atem and Jonouchi stared in confusion, but soon followed after them. Once they all reached the Main Wharf, they couldn't believe their eyes. There in the distance was a young man with pale blonde hair, wearing a bloodstained lavender vest shirt, beige pants and black boots. To Atem's shock, the young man had a pale-gray skin and a lavender glow in his eyes. They watched as he thrust his shotgun syringe up and down into a corpse, a scene oddly familiar to the Bolt wielder and his childhood friend.

"That boy…" Atem gasped, "He's like an adolescent version of a Scavenger!"

"Now that you mention it…" Jonouchi noted, "he reminded me of a similar kid I encountered with Honda, Mai and Ryouta soon after we got the digital research camera."

"There's no mistaking it." Pegasus stated, "That's a Reaper over there!"

"A Reaper?" Atem asked.

"Yes." Pegasus confirmed, "Reapers are a more powerful type of Scavenger. Some, like this boy over there, were converted into Scavengers when they were smaller. And when such a Scavenger grows up to become a teenager, they become Reapers in that way. Other Reapers, though, were normal teenagers who imbedded the rapture slug into their own stomachs. But no matter how they were created, the results are the same. Like the younger Scavengers, the Reapers carry Nagi by means of the rapture slug, and in recent times they extract used Nagi from the corpses of those killed in the war. But that is where the similarity ends!"

"How so?" Jonouchi asked.

"I'll tell you that part." Mai stated, "According to my digital research camera, Reapers carry twice the amount of Nagi that a Scavenger would. 320 Nagi to be exact!"

"Wait, so you're saying that these kids are more valuable than Scavengers?" Jonouchi queried in surprise.

"As far as splicers are concerned, you're on the mark." Mai answered, "But the Reapers are valuable in another way as well; they're much more than mere 'Nagi factories'."

By that time the Reaper had proceeded to drink up the Nagi he had just extracted, holding his syringe like he would a can of soda.

"Eeek! Warning! Warning!" Blossom squeaked fearfully, "A splicer is detected close by!"

But the Reaper did not hear the doll's frantic warning, and once he emptied the contents of his syringe, he wiped his mouth in frustration. "There slug, you got your food." He growled, "Happy now?"

"DON'T CALL ME A SLUG!" exclaimed a masculine voice, and in a flash a Brown Recluse splicer leaped down, slicing off the Reaper's head from behind! Atem and Jonouchi froze in horror at the scene as the head rolled to the floor near the foot of the drained corpse and the Brown Recluse shouted in triumph. "Ha! Your Nagi is mine!"

But the spider splicer's joy was short-lived, and the two friends from the surface were in for an even greater shock of their lives. The headless body did not fall limp as they expected, but promptly turned around and gave the splicer an uppercut in the jaw! And if that wasn't shocking enough, the head began to talk! "You really think I could lose my head that easily?! Don't make me laugh!" The body then proceeded to kick the enemy in the crotch and snatch the head by the hair from off the floor. Then while the Brown Recluse was standing in awkward position to avoid stabbing his own injured crotch, the Reaper used his head in a more literal way—by slamming it into the splicer's jaw like a mace! With his opponent on the ground trying to recover, the body quickly reattached the head. There was a loud crack as the head jerked back and forth and shifted to its proper alignment. The bones of the spine reconnected. The wound that separated the head from the body sealed together and healed, leaving no sign of any decapitation. "Ugh… ow! That's the third time this week!" the Reaper growled as he rubbed his neck. "Now you really pissed me off!"

The Brown Recluse staggered to his feet and gave an equally menacing glare. "Fucking kid! DIE ALREADY!" He quickly rushed in again in order to counterattack. But the Reaper was ready. Brandishing his Egyptian-styled dagger, he rushed forward and thrust it into his opponent's heart. The splicer screamed in pain. The Reaper pulled out his dagger then thrust his syringe into the soon-to-be fatal wound to drain more Nagi. As soon as he was done the boy grabbed the splicer by the cuff of his T-shirt.

"You want some Nagi punk?" he roared, "You got it!" He threw his enemy into the air. The glow in the boy's eyes grew more intense and his hands pulsed with great power. "PHOENIX FLARE!" The Reaper shouted, thrusting his other hand outward. Instantly a line of yellow fire sped out and struck the Brown Recluse in midair. The splicer let out one final scream of pain and fury as his skin melted on several parts of his body—then he literally exploded in a ball of fire! The gory remains showered down all over the Wharf with flames trailing behind them.

"Yiee!" Jonouchi shouted as he and the others dodged an incoming piece of burning flesh. Soon however, all was silent.

The Reaper began to walk away from the Wharf. "Goddamn splicers…" he muttered before he started chugging down the Nagi he drained from his vanquished enemy.

All the while Atem and Jonouchi stared in utter disbelief. "Did you see what just happened?!" Atem gasped, pointing to the Reaper, "I thought he was dead once his head got chopped off… but then he just put it back on like it was nothing! And to top it off he actually killed his attacker!"

"This is what separates the Reaper from the Scavenger." Mai explained, "They are very powerful warriors and thus have no need for a bodyguard like a Hunter… although some Reapers recruit a Hunter as a comrade in arms. But what really makes those Reapers special is that unlike Scavengers, they can actually use the Nagi they carry inside their stomachs."

"That is so true!" Pegasus added, "Raw Nagi is even more powerful than its plasmid form. What you have witnessed is a demonstration of that power. Essentially, all Reapers are Nagi compatible, because it is the rapture slug that suffers all the negative side effects. And remember how I told you that Scavengers are nearly indestructible? Well, the Reapers take this trait one step further! You could slice them and dice them in any way you could think of, and they still do not die! Cut off a Reaper's hand for example and not only can it be reattached, it is still fully functional! And even if such a hand is still severed, it can move like it was still part of the body. Burning a Reaper has no effect either, and they don't even drown in deep water! To put in more simple terms, the Reapers are nearly invincible! For that reason, many Reapers used to serve as soldiers in the front line of attack and defense at the beginning of the Kyoki Wars."

"Awesome!" Jonouchi cheered, "It's like those Reapers are immortal or something!"

"Not quite." Honda replied sullenly. Atem and Jonouchi turned to face their friend in confusion. "The Reapers still have an Achilles' Heel. They may be more powerful than the Scavengers, but they're no less vulnerable to harvestation than they are. If you harvest the rapture slug, the Reaper would die instantly. As the civil war continued, a large number of Reapers met up with opponents who managed to exploit that weakness. Now there's only four left in all of Kyoki." The two friends from the surface gasped in shock.

"And that boy is one of those four?" Atem asked.

"Yeah." Honda answered. "And even if a Reaper like him manages to avoid being harvested altogether, well… they still won't survive for long."

"The symbiotic relationship between the rapture slug and its host can only work if the host is still a child. It never works on an adult." Pegasus explained, "As you know, adolescence is the gradual transition from childhood to adulthood. So although the symbiotic relationship between the slug and the Reaper still works, that relationship becomes very unstable. The slug becomes increasingly demanding with each passing year, giving the Reapers their powers in exchange for nourishment in the form of Nagi. You see, whenever a Reaper uses raw Nagi, they inflict massive damage to the slug, and so it needs Nagi in great numbers to undo that damage. When the slug's demands become too much, and if the damage of the side effects exceed the slug's level of endurance, the relationship collapses completely. That's why no Reaper ever lives past the age of sixteen, for it is at that age when the instability is at its greatest height."

"Yeah… poor Reapers. They die so young!" Blossom sniffed.

"Suddenly, being a Reaper isn't so much fun…" Jonouchi muttered teary-eyed.

"Pegasus, would you tell me the current age of the four surviving Reapers?" Atem asked politely.

"One Reaper is currently fifteen years old." Pegasus answered, "The rest are all at the deadly age of sixteen…"—he pointed to Reaper who casually strode past the door—"…And that includes this boy."

"… So what exactly happens… when that symbiotic relationship… collapses?"

"AIEEEE!" Blossom screamed suddenly, "Warning, warning, WARNING!"

"Did you detect another splicer?!" Ryouta asked in concern, to which the doll nodded fearfully.

"Listen!" Atem gasped suddenly. Everyone fell silent to do just that, and it wasn't long before they heard a familiar voice from a distance. Not to mention the fact that this voice was scat singing a familiar tune. "It's _her_!" he hissed and he rushed to the center of the wharf with the rest of the team not far behind him. When they arrived, the feminine voice became louder. Soon the sound of crumbling rocks accompanied the song, signaling the approach of a spider splicer. But then for a moment, the disturbing sounds came to an abrupt halt.

"My youth! My ROSE!" screamed the feminine voice, "Give it back, GIVE IT BACK, **GIVE IT BACK**!!!" And from the top of the ceiling came a familiar splicer with sharp sword blades for peg legs. She landed gracefully in the center and let out a shriek of rage.

"GYAA! It's the Creepy Lady again!" Jonouchi hollered in shock.

"And now we know she's a Black Widow!" Atem bellowed. No sooner than he finished than the Black Widow jumped up toward him in attempt to stab him with her sword leg. Luckily the Bolt Wielder dodged the attack, narrowly escaping the poisoned blade.

"All right, it's payback time!" Jonouchi roared, and with a great battle cry he leapt toward the Creepy Lady. This time his sword did not miss. She screamed in agony as the blade sliced into her back. Immediately she jumped back up to the ceiling.

"Oh no! You won't get away that easily!" Mai bellowed, aiming her hand crossbow. The Black Widow threw her poisoned sickles toward the violet-eyed shutterbug, but that was when she fired. The bolt deflected one of the sickles. Pegasus leapt out of the way to avoid the incoming weapons, causing Blossom to scream.

Honda started shooting at the spider splicer with his revolver. The bullets assaulted her to no end but to his utter shock, she did not react with pain. Instead, she screamed in rage. "Damn! I forgot she can resist antipersonnel rounds!" Honda cursed.

"Well I bet you she can't resist this!" Ryouta barked. "Eat this Black Widow!" Quickly he fired his harpoon bazooka, his eyes raging as if thirsting for revenge over the previous battle. There was a gushing of blood and the Creepy Lady's intestines spilled forth as the harpoon disemboweled her.

"Nice shot Ryouta!" Jonouchi cheered. "That bitch didn't stand a cha--"

"JONOUCHI, WATCH OUT!" Atem hollered. Right at that moment, the battered bloody form of the Creepy Lady surged toward the sandy blonde, with the harpoon still stuck in her stomach—and with the swing of her leg blade, she sliced off his right hand from his forearm!

"AAUGH! MY HAND!" Jonouchi screamed, dropping his sword to clutch the bloody stump where his hand and half of his forearm used to be.

"NO! Jonouchi!" Mai screamed in horror. Atem on the other hand, growled in rage, feeling his plasmid go into overdrive.

"Die monster!" the Creepy Lady bellowed. "I NEED MY ROSE!" And she lifted her bony leg blade, ready to thrust it into Jonouchi's heart.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! PLASMA BOLT!" Atem roared, and the power of his Overdrive Ability surged toward its target and electrocuted her on the spot. "Jonouchi! Use your Blaze NOW!"

"Ugh… You got it!" Jonouchi muttered, lifting his sword once again. He allowed his Blaze plasmid to swell with power. "You're going down Creepy Lady! SPINNING INFERNO!" Even with one hand he was able to perform his Overdrive Ability with incredible ease. In mere seconds the Black Widow was engulfed in flames. However, even as she burned she made one last attempt to claw at her prey. Jonouchi backed away, but by then her poison was beginning to take effect on the sandy blonde's body. He slumped to the ground.

"It's time to end this!" Honda shouted, "TITAN MIND GRIP!" A large wooden beam seemed to pull itself out of its unstable position on another nearby dock, all guided by Honda's mind. In a flash he repositioned it and used all his mental force to fling it toward the burning spider splicer. It came at her so fast that she had no time to escape. She let out one final scream before the heavy beam slammed her into a wall and crushed her under its weight, killing her instantly. "Yeah!" Honda cheered in triumph, "That Black Widow is history!"

"Quick Honda! The antidote!" Atem yelled, rushing over to his childhood friend.

"Oh right! Here's the syringe!" The Telekinesis wielder tossed the serum to the Bolt wielder, who wasted no time to inject it into Jonouchi's poisoned system.

"We did it Jonouchi." Atem stated, "Now the 'Creepy Lady' will never bother us again."

"It's about time…" Jonouchi sighed, but frowned when he looked at the stump on his right arm. "She just gave me yet another reason to hate her. Ow!" As if on cue, Mai sped over to bandage the bloody stump. It was then that Atem's Video Phone began to emit its signal. He lifted it up and a familiar fisherwoman came into view.

"Howdy!" Peach Wilkins greeted, "I take it you finally got rid of that pesky Black Widow."

"Peach! I'm so glad to see you!" Atem greeted likewise, "And yes, we finally defeated that spider spicer! You should have seen it!"

"Hee hee hee, that monster goes down easy once you learn how she works! C'mon in with the digital snappies everybody! This southern gal's got you an invite to the Fisheries!"

"Thank you so much Peach!" Atem replied gratefully, "We'll hurry over to the Fisheries as soon as we can!"

With a smile, Peach disconnected. It was then that Atem suddenly clutched his head, as a certain quote entered his mind.

**"Now take your team and head on back to the Fisheries when you're ready, would you kindly?"**

Again, for a brief moment, a turquoise circle-star flashed on his forehead. Again, the symbol came and went, unnoticed by his companions. "What's wrong Atem Boy?" Pegasus asked in concern as the Bolt wielder recovered from the weirdness and helped his friend to his feet.

"Nothing." Atem replied. "Let's hurry over to the Fisheries. Ryouta this is the moment you have been waiting for!"

"You have my gratitude!" Ryouta stated, "Hang in there, Dad! We're coming!"

"Fine, let's go already!" Pegasus retorted, and so the team hurried onward toward the Atlantis Fisheries. But then Mai took notice of a small, mutilated corpse and screamed.

"What is it Mai?" Jonouchi asked and soon everyone took notice of the corpse before them… the fresh corpse of a newly harvested Scavenger. "Oh my God!" gasped the sandy blonde, and Honda stared in horror and sorrow as the sight brought back many tragic memories.

"By the breath of Osiris! Is that what a harvested Scavenger looks like?" Atem asked hesitantly.

"For the most part, yes." Pegasus sighed, "But not to this extent of brutality! Not even a splicer would go as far as to actually eat the vital organs of the Scavengers they harvest!"

"… Who could do such a thing?!" Atem gasped.

"Whoever it may be," Pegasus answered, "they must possess a truly black heart. Anyway, we must move onward. There's no telling what's going on in the Fisheries!"

"Yeah let's hurry! Hurry!" Blossom squeaked. The team nodded in agreement and forged ahead to their destination… but not without taking one more look at the sad scene behind them.

Note: And so concludes this chapter in the Plasmashock story. Master Rainwalker must be very proud to see this work... So now you can see that Bakura is not such a good guy after all. This _is_ Yami Bakura, you know. Which leads to one question: Why is he working for our heroes? What exactly is he scheming? That will be answered much later in the story! In the meantime, here's a preview of the next chapter: Our heroes have finally made it to the interior of the Atlantis Fisheries Freezers, but they come face to face with a menacing elite splicer! Will they have wat it takes to defeat this menace? And what important secrets do the ghosts have to share? Until Next Time!


	20. Chapter 20

Note: Finally, I got this chapter all conjured up! Squeezing my creative juices are proving to be very hard! Thankfully I'm almost finished with my latest chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid. If left on my own I'm terrible when it comes to thinknig up battle scenes... Anyway on to the story. Our heroes finally had the keys to entering the Atlantis Fisheries, but they had to face a powerful enemy. Will they succeed? Read and find out! Enjoy!

**Chapter 20: Nitro Bandit Keith**

The silence the permeated the entrance to the Atlantis Fisheries was broken by the pounding of Atem's fist at the metal door. "Peach, are you in there?" Atem asked, "We're back with the photos."

"Well, it's about time!" Peach's voice echoed cheerfully from behind the door. The team watched as the slot on that door slid open, revealing the face of the old fisherwoman and ex-smuggler, Peach Wilkins. "Ha, ha! The Wharf rats didn't get themselves eaten up! Well done! Hey Ryouta! Maybe I'll have your daddy set up the table for ya! I could bring some silverware and the like…" Peach laughed at her own joke, and even Ryouta couldn't help but smile. "But really," the fisherwoman continued more seriously, "He's been waiting almost three years for this moment. And as fer the rest of ya, I've got some important information to share with ya. Now if y'all excuse me I'm gonna get this door opened up so you can enter." The slot shut tight, but everyone could still hear her as she stepped not too far away from them. "Now that keypad's gotta be around here somewhere…"

"We're almost to the finish line Ryouta. Only a few more seconds and we'll be heading inside." Jonouchi assured the fisherman.

Right at that moment Atem's Video Phone signaled an incoming call. Within seconds Raiden appeared onscreen. "Hey guys, it's me again." he announced, "Before you head inside the Fisheries, a word to the wise: Old Peachy is deathly afraid of her assistant, Bandit Keith… and for a very good reason. For her sake, it is best not to let your guard down."

"We'll keep that in mind Raiden." Atem replied before his advisor disconnected. It didn't take long before the metal door made a loud noise, and the team knew at once that it was unlocked.

"Okay, the door's open!" Peach called from behind, "Come on in!" The door slid upward, revealing the first part of the frozen interior. There, near a strange tube-like device, stood the old woman dressed like a modern fisher, her welder's helmet sitting on top of her head. The mask was lifted away to reveal a gentle elderly face. "What can I say, welcome to the Atlantis Fisheries!"

"Yeah! Thanks Peachy!" Honda cheered, "Show us around!" The team had barely gotten inside the first room when Peach suddenly stepped in front of them palm outward.

"Ah, ah, ah, AH!" she scolded, "Only those who have ties to my crew can enter the Fisheries packing the heat! That means you Ryouta, so you can keep your harpoon bazooka! The rest of ya put yer guns and swords in the pneumo tube right over here,"—she patted her gloved hand on the tube-like object in question—"and once everyone is disarmed you can enter!"

"What?!" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"You can't do that!" Mai protested, "Not all of us are good martial artists! And besides Jonouchi lost his right hand, which puts us at a slight disadvantage if we happen to get ambushed!"

"It's my price, you're gonna have to pay it!" Peach barked, "Weapons are off limits in the main freezer! So if it looks like a sword or a gun, drop it in the pneumo and you can pick it up later when we get to the other side! Lead pipes and wrenches don't count!" Everyone except Atem and Ryouta groaned in disappointment. "Oh now, don't go doin' that! Look on the bright side, at least you get to keep your plasmids… just in case."

Pegasus sighed reluctantly. "I suppose I may have to use my Frenzy if we do go to battle…" Blossom screamed in response to her master's comment and curled herself into a little ball as he placed his golden machine gun in the pneumo tube. Honda let out a grunt as he disarmed himself of the pistol he was using; his own gun had yet to be repaired and upgraded. Mai was no less hesitant to part with her hand crossbow, especially since she hasn't equipped a plasmid of her own—and she doesn't even know if she's compatible with Nagi yet!

"Ugh… do I really have to drop off my sword?" Jonouchi complained, stuffing his weapon down the tube. "Why not cut off my other hand while you're at it!"

"Are we clean now?" Atem asked politely.

"Yep, you're clean." Peach answered, "Follow me." Under her guidance, the team began to navigate through a corridor of ice.

"Brrr! This place is colder than a witch's tits!" Ryouta muttered.

"Maybe the Splicer Killer helped to lower the temperature." Honda joked.

"C'mon, it doesn't feel that cold to me." Jonouchi stated.

"That's because you got the Blaze plasmid, you idiot." Mai muttered. Thankfully the sandy blonde chose to ignore that part of the comment as he and the rest of the team finally made it to the main freezer. The room was large, resembling a sci-fi compartment that was frozen over.

"So tell me Peach, I know you want to protect yourselves by hiding in this freezer, but what happened that made you decide to hide here in the first place?" Atem asked.

At first, Peach gave no reply, but then answered sullenly, "It actually started a decade ago during the infamous War of the Smugglers. I'm sure Ryouta told ya about it, and I'm also sure you've encountered Togashi's corpse in Jet Postal. At that time Dartz was starting to put the screws on us! And double! On the same day that Kajiki was leavin' the cartel, another member of my crew, Sammy Grimsdale, told me he was goin' to the constable as soon as he gets outta here. But while Kajiki escaped without a hitch, Sammy was not so lucky: the next day he was found in the salt pond, dead in a sack! We knew right then and there that we were trapped between a rock and a hard place! If we stayed with Dartz, we'd end up on the gallows; we take the powder, we'd end up like Sammy and Togashi!" The old fisherwoman paused a bit to let out a sigh. "We didn't know what to do… but then about seven years ago on September 12, Dartz and Ryu Mutou gathered up their armies and took part in this major shootout. I know this because half of my crew was there, fightin' side by side with those horrible splicers that Dartz created. Many of them died in that battle. But ya know what? That was the last time anyone had ever seen Dartz, and on that day the War of the Smugglers came to an end. Now the news reporters on TV and the survivors of that battle claim that Mutou killed him in the shootout, but when it was all over his body was nowhere to be found. Some say that the smugglers loyal to Dartz disposed of his corpse before it could be paraded in the streets and added to Mutou's growin' trophy room. But like the other half of the population, my crew and I suspected otherwise… especially Keith. Come to think of it, he's the one who suggested that we hide in this here freezer when Mutou fell from grace. We put that plan to action two years ago, and we've been in here ever since. But you already know that part."

"Does it get a little boring after a while?" Atem asked, "You have been staying inside this place for two years after all."

"Not quite," Peach answered, "See, beyond the main freezer you'll find at least two ghosts, both of whom belonged to my crew."

"G-ghosts?!" Jonouchi squeaked in fear.

"Relax, they ain't gonna bite ya." Peach assured, "In fact, almost every ghost in Kyoki has a load of information they're willing to share, and these ghosts are no exception. That's how we know the truth about Dartz…and for that reason, Keith tried to equip a whole lot of plasmids and gene tonics and so did others of my crew." It was then Peach began to shudder. "The only problem is that none of them are compatible with Nagi. What's worse, Keith has been splicing himself nonstop!"

"My dad's incompatible with Nagi too." Ryouta stated, "He… he didn't try equip any plasmids, did he?"

"Nope, not a drop. And it's a good thing he didn't." Suddenly, the lights began to flicker on and off. It wasn't long before a misty fog crept in, covering the whole room. "What the hell?!" Peach barked, causing the team to look around. "What's goin' on in here?!"

"I smell Dartz in this room… And who would have thought that you would be helping him out, 'Boss'!" growled a rough masculine voice, causing Atem to lift his lead pipe and take a fighter's stance.

Peach, on the other hand, let out a gasp of horror as she recognized the voice of her assistant. "It can't be…!"

"WARNING, WARNING!" Blossom cried fearfully, "Splicers are detected in the freezer, and one of them has an elite ranking!"

"What?!" Pegasus gasped.

"The moment Dartz got his ticket outta Hell, he told the devil 'I'll be right back! I still have some errands to run!' and the devil said, 'Sure thing Dartz, I'll save a spot for ya!' You punks have some nerve sneaking inside the freezer! Ryu Mutou promised that Dartz would be dead meat, and now here you are doing his dirty work! Guess that makes Mutou a dumbass, and you…?" Immediately the fog dissipated and from a hole in the ceiling Keith jumped down in front of the team with a furious battle cry. He was dressed in street clothes, which consisted of blue jeans and black army boots, along with a red T-shirt and a studded black vest. As he stood up, his arms began to shake. "RAIDEN!" He roared, "THEY WERE OURS! **OURS**!!" Then both forearms began to bulge like a giant tumor and he thrust his palms toward the Bolt wielder and his friends. Then to their horror, his fingers bent backward and a large hole opened up in the center of his palms. The arms cocked like a pistol and in an instant two large rockets blasted out of the holes right toward them!

"Incoming!" Honda exclaimed, and everyone jumped to dodge the rockets. There were huge explosions as they hit the wall behind them.

"Hold still so I can blast ya to pieces!" Keith bellowed, launching another set of rockets.

As they dodged one rocket heading their direction and spread them around further, Peach exclaimed to the others, "Dag nabbit! I had a feelin' Keith was gonna lose his mind and betray me, but I didn't think he'd evolve into an elite splicer to do it!"

"Well it's not like things are gonna get any worse!" Jonouchi blurted. No sooner had the sandy blonde finish his sentence than a collective of loud shouts echoed around the freezers. Soon splicers came rushing inside from almost every direction to aid the assistant-turned-elite splicer. Most were armed with guns and sickles as well as wrenches and lead pipes!

"You were saying?!" Atem barked.

"Maybe I spoke too soon." Jonouchi muttered. He let out a yelp as he dodged the sickle of a spider splicer.

"So that's why you asked for the digital research camera, and the photos of spider splicers!" Mai exclaimed.

"Yeah! And I'm gonna need your help again!" Peach screamed, "Go get a photo of Keith, and hurry! We gotta chop him down before he blows us to pieces!"

"But there's too many splicers in the way!" Honda exclaimed. "Mai would get hurt trying to get his picture!"

"Then you and the others go out and distract them!" Peach commanded, "Kill 'em if you have to!"

Pegasus nodded, and quickly reactivated his Rage. He brought forth two globs and threw them at two of the incoming splicers. "Honda Boy! Attack NOW!" he exclaimed as the splicers began to push back a few of their own crewmen.

"Good thing I know some Tae Kwon Do!" Honda shouted to himself as he ran toward another group of splicers, all while avoiding their bullets. Leaping up he kicked one splicer in the face, then punched another in the gut. A third tried to move in with a grapple, but he knocked her dead with a headbutt. Enraged, Keith pointed his arm cannon toward the Telekinesis wielder and launched a grenade. But Honda saw it coming. He grabbed the grenade using his Telekinesis and launched it at the mob. The blast knocked them off their feet. But even as those splicers fell dead, many more came through as reinforcements. Even Pegasus' forcefully recruited 'helpers' fell in the onslaught.

Atem rushed in and slammed his quarterstaff on a bullet splicer. He shocked another before landing a well-timed karate kick to finish him off. But soon the splicers surrounded the Bolt wielder, and a spider splicer jumped down from the ceiling to strike him. Her sickles successfully struck him on the shoulder, but the attack activated his Static Discharge, which destroyed her and the other splicers in the crew. But that didn't stop the ones who survived that discharge, nor did it stop the incoming mob from making their approach. What's worse Keith continued his barrage of rockets and bombs. "Damn! These splicers just keep coming!"

"So what else is new?!" Jonouchi blurted.

"We have no choice," Atem shouted, "Time to bring in the big guns!"

"Oh no! Say it ain't so, Master! Say it ain't so!" Blossom shrieked in horror.

A red glob popped out of Pegasus' wrist as he grimly replied, "I'm sorry Blossom… but I have to do it." With that he squeezed the glob until it exploded, activating his Frenzy. Blossom screamed as her master went through his transformation into his Overdrive self, and his feral battle cry was enough to startle even his own teammates. Jonouchi was especially terrified when the plasmid merchant launched himself into his barbaric rampage.

"YAAAGH! Pegasus just turned into a splicer monster!" exclaimed Jonouchi.

"It's all right," Atem reassured quickly, "He's still on our side! What you are seeing is his Overdrive Ability at work!"

"OVERDRIVE ABILITY?!" blurted Jonouchi in shock.

"Hopefully this will be one of the last horrors we'll see before we leave Kyoki." Atem reasoned. "In the meantime, why don't you give us a hand."

"You got it Buddy!" With that Jonouchi launched a fireball on an incoming splicer and rushed into the fray. "Take this you creeps!" Jonouchi roared punching one of the bullet splicers in the nose. The explosions resounded in the freezer as Jonouchi dispatched a few more splicers with a roundhouse kick and uppercut. Some of his opponents burst into flame thanks to his channeling of the Blaze plasmid. Still, the fight was not easy… after all he only had one hand to throw his punches with.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance!" Peach shouted, taking out a shotgun, "I'm not as defenseless as ya think!" She aimed and fired, blowing a spider splicer's head off and incinerating it at the same time.

"If you laid a finger on my father, I swear I will make you shark bait!" Ryouta roared, firing his harpoon bazooka and killing five splicers at once. All the while, the team dodged Keith's rockets though they had yet to make a counterattack against him.

"Now's yer chance Mai!" Peach exclaimed, "Get that photo!" Mai gave no reply, but she rushed toward the distracted Bandit Keith, camera in hand. Crouching close to one of the old vending machines, she pointed the camera.

"All right," she muttered, "Strike a pose, you bastard."

"Hurry Mai!" Atem shouted, growing exhausted even as he struck yet another splicer with his electrically charged lead pipe. At that moment, Keith cocked his arm cannons, ready to launch another set of rockets. Mai snapped her photo.

"Got it!" she exclaimed, and she rushed toward her teammates. Unfortunately, Bandit Keith caught her movement.

"You're not going anywhere you fuck!" the elite splicer roared, aiming his arm cannons at the violet eyed shutterbug.

"Watch out Mai!" Jonouchi shouted. I know I don't have my sword and I got one hand, he thought, but I hope this works… He fueled all his might into the power of his Blaze until the coals marking his skin glowed with his fury, and fire enveloped around his fist. He straightened out his left arm as if it were his sword. "SPINNING INFER—WHOA!!" Just as he was about to activate his Overdrive Ability, a splicer grabbed hold of his left arm by the biceps, all without being burned!

"Jonouchi!" Atem exclaimed in shock.

"No way!" Honda shouted, "Someone get that splicer!" Unfortunately the sandy blonde and his friends barely had the time to react before the monster wrapped one filthy arm around Jonouchi's own, pressed hard on his neck and shoulder with the other, and pulled. There was a loud 'SNAP' and Jonouchi felt excruciating pain as his left arm was torn away from his body, blood spraying everywhere. He screamed as he fell to the ground, even as the splicer was felled by Ryouta's harpoon.

"Oh no, Jonouchi!" Mai shrieked in horror just as Keith launched his rockets. They strike the ground right behind her and the resulting explosion sent her flying. She too let out a scream as she landed facedown not far away from the injured Jonouchi.

"Mai!" her teammates exclaimed, and the sandy blonde crawled painfully to the violet-eyed shutterbug.

"Mai, are you okay?!" he asked worriedly. She struggled to push herself up on her elbows, wounded but alive and intact.

"Don't worry… I'm fine…" she replied with a weak smirk, holding out her camera, "And thankfully, so is the data in this camera… this thing's a lot more durable than I thought." Indeed, there was the photo of Bandit Keith. Atem and the others sped over to take a look as she set the camera on data mode, and the Bolt wielder skimmed over every detail.

_**Nitro Splicer**_

_**The pinnacle of dynamite splicers, this elite splicer always evolves from the most powerful rocket splicer. Due to the fact that it is unaffected by its own explosives, it is the only dynamite splicer that takes a more reckless approach to combat. Its arms effectively become rocket launchers, and it can even launch from its mouth a slime-covered grenade that sticks to whatever—or whoever—it targets. Should this grenade stick to you, you must remove it as quickly as possible! The most notable trait of this elite splicer is that when it is on the verge of defeat, it charges up all its weaponry to full power, which can be deadly to those caught in its path. It is able to resist most plasmids and antipersonnel rounds, but if it receives enough damage the source of its power will be exposed. Destroy it before it sets itself off, and you will destroy the splicer.**_

"So apparently Keith has a hidden weak point!" Atem mused aloud.

"If that's the case, then let's get it out of hiding!" Ryouta exclaims, aiming his harpoon bazooka at the elite splicer. But when the harpoon flew out of its cannon, Keith saw it coming towards him and knocked it away.

"Nice try you punk!" he jeered, "You can't take me down that easily!" Suddenly Pegasus sped toward him, emitting a brutal scream as he grabbed the deflected harpoon. He leaped up and swung the spear at Keith, forcing the juggernaut to raise an arm cannon to block it. Again and again the frenzied plasmid merchant swung, trying to hack into his powerful opponent. As the battle raged on Honda and Atem wasted no time helping Mai and Jonouchi to their feet.

"Thanks guys." Jonouchi sighed, looking at the empty air where his left arm used to be. "Ow… I sure hope I don't lose a leg next."

"Shut up Jonouchi." Mai growled. "I'll help inject the Nami serum."

Meanwhile Keith blocked another one of Pegasus' parries in a deadlock. But just as quickly he slammed the plasmid merchant a good distance away and opened his mouth to an unnaturally wide length. In an instant he spat out a glowing green sphere with a black core and it slammed onto the harpoon that Pegasus was holding, sticking fast like glue. "GAAHH! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Pegasus screamed, throwing the harpoon toward another group of splicers. One of them caught it, and realized that his grip was on the slime.

"YIEEE! GET IT OFF OF ME, GET IT OFF--" screamed the splicer in horror before the glob exploded, killing him and his fellow splicers. Furious, Bandit Keith spat out two more slime grenades, which Pegasus dodged effortlessly. As each of those grenades detonated one by one in the background, the plasmid merchant leapt onto the elite splicer tore away some of his opponent's flesh.

By then Mai and Jonouchi were placed in a safe corner close by. "Honda!" Atem shouted, "We need to find his weak point and expose it! It could be anywhere!"

"The camera said that it will expose itself when he gets enough damage right?" Honda noted, "Well maybe I can use my Overdrive Ability to coax it out of hiding!" And with that, he rushed forward. "TITAN MIND GRIP!" A large sheet of thick ice shook, until it detached from its surface with a crack. Then the Telekinesis wielder guided the ice mentally toward the Nitro splicer. "Pegasus! Get out of the way NOW!" Honda warned, and quickly launched his projectile without another word. Luckily, even in his frenzied state the plasmid merchant heard the warning just in time and sped away from the attack. Keith on the other hand couldn't react fast enough, and the ice slammed into him with such a force that it knocked him down. As the debris clattered to the icy floor a battered Keith slowly stood up. And he was very angry.

"That does it! IT'S TIME FOR AN OVERHAUL!" He thrust his arm cannons forward and opened his mouth. The ammunition all began to glow as they were charged up with power.

"Stay back Sugah! I'll take it from here!" Peach roared as she ran toward her foe.

"Peachy wait!" Ryouta exclaimed, "It's too dangerous!" But Peach ran onward, firing her shotgun over and over. "We have to go after her! She can't take him alone!" Ryouta cried to Atem and the two of them rushed after her. Right at that moment however, Keith unleashed his ultimate barrage. The rockets immediately shot out of the fleshy cannons with remarkable speed and it was heading right toward them! The Bolt Wielder and the fisherman stopped in their tracks just before the bombs could reach them, but the impact of the resulting explosion was enough to force them back.

As the two of them landed hard on the floor battered and bloodied, Atem's Video Phone flickered on at this time, once again revealing a familiar face. "Atem! Atem!" exclaimed Raiden, "What the hell is going on?!"

Atem sat up clutching his Video Phone and replied, "Keith is even more dangerous than we thought Raiden! He's an elite splicer!"

As Peach ran closer toward the juggernaut, he spat out a very large slime grenade. She fired her shotgun at the very same moment, and as the bullet stuck its target the elite splicer let out a scream. Everything seemed to slow down as she jumped toward her enemy, even as the slime grenade stuck onto the side of her stomach and chest. Keith's chest burst open and out poked his bloody still-beating heart. Everyone else stared in astonishment. "That's his weak point?!" Jonouchi gasped. It seemed that Peach had figured it out as well, for in midair she took aim at this vital organ. But just as she was about to pull the trigger, the heart began to beat faster… and faster… until it beat so fast it was practically shaking. Peach could only gasp in shock as beams of light shot out the organ. She didn't even had the time to react before the heart exploded in a massive ball of fire.

"RUN!" Pegasus exclaimed, breaking into a sprint. Honda followed in suit, while Ryouta and Atem scrambled to join Mai and Jonouchi, who were already a safe distance from the blast. Only when they all reached a safe distance did the team turn around. As they all watched in horror, the force of the explosion began to rip away Peach's flesh—and the heat triggered the detonation of the massive slime grenade, blasting the fisherwoman to pieces.

"PEACHY!!" Ryouta cried the old woman perished.

"…Oh my god!" Mai gasped as tears began to form in her eyes. "Peach…! No way…!" No other words were said as the fireball engulfed the front of the Fisheries Freezers, melting ice off the cold walls. And indeed there was not a single dry eye; even Pegasus paused from his Frenzy to mourn. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of mad laughter.

Atem gasped, "It's Bandit Keith! He's still alive!" The smoke and fire dissipated, revealing the elite splicer standing as though in triumph. An orb attached to his main arteries and veins began to grow until it took the shape of the human heart, then sank back into his chest.

"Serves you right Bitch!" Keith laughed, "You were gonna sell me out to Dartz anyway!"

"Amida Buddha!" Raiden exclaimed in growing anger, "That bastard's got a thick hide and Old Peachy just died trying to pierce it! Atem, you have to avenge her! Smite that Bandit would you courteously?!" Unseen by all the fighters, the gold chain tattoo on Atem's left wrist began to glow. Before he even realized it, he felt his anger swell; his veins began to glow brighter as the Bolt plasmid swelled with sudden power. The Bolt wielder clenched his fists and electricity began to gather, powering even his quarterstaff. Finally, he let out a furious battle cry and rushed forward.

"Atem! Watch out!" Jonouchi exclaimed.

"You can send as many men as you want Dartz," Keith blurted, "but you can never defeat me!" The elite splicer then spat out another slime grenade.

"PLASMA BOLT!" Atem shouted, unleashing a large ball of electricity that struck the grenade in mid-flight and destroyed it in a flash!

"What the Hell?!" Keith roared.

"Tough luck!" Pegasus bellowed, "You and I have some unfinished business to settle!" Once again, the plasmid merchant joined the fray. Jumping onto the juggernaut's back, he bites him on the neck. Keith roared in agony and bucked like a wild bull to shake off the Frenzied Pegasus. This proved to be the perfect distraction, for Atem moved in and struck his opponent with several blows. Each and every blow struck its mark, and before long the elite splicer was covered from head to toe in his own blood. And if that's not enough, the ferocity Atem displayed matched that of the plasmid merchant!

Finally, Keith tossed Pegasus to the side, aiming his arm cannons at the Bolt wielder. "You want some more?! I'LL GIVE YA SOME MORE!" Once again, the rockets and bombs began to charge up to full power. But Atem was ready. He pulled a tall icicle that hung on the ceiling close to him, then threw it like a javelin into Keith's stomach. The icicle impaled the elite splicer, and as he screamed in rage and agony his chest burst open once again. Again the bloody still-beating heart was exposed, and the pace of that heartbeat was visibly speeding up.

"It's time to end this!" bellowed Atem, "PLASMA BOLT!" In a flash, the powerful ball of electricity once again manifested to strike the heart in astounding speed. The electrocuted heart jiggled before it exploded with a wet bloody 'pop'. Bandit Keith emitted a final scream of pain before his body ripped to shreds in a more spectacular explosion. At last, amidst the smoke and flames, silence filled the Main Freezer. Keith did not rise again.

"Unbelievable!" Honda gasped, "Atem actually used the same Overdrive Ability twice in his state of Overdrive! Most Plasmunds at our level can use a given Overdrive Ability only once when they get into that state."

"Not only that," Ryouta added, "His fighting style seemed to have become even deadlier than before!"

"Well, at least he managed to avenge the death of Peach Wilkins." Mai noted as she injected the Nami serum into her body. Pegasus sighed as he let his own Overdrive Ability wear off. As soon as his Rage returned to its original state, he hid his plasmid.

"Eeek! You were so scary Master…" whimpered poor Blossom, crawling out from under his jacket.

"I know, I'm sorry." Pegasus replied gently, "But when push comes to shove, I had to do it. You know that more than anyone." For a moment, Atem stood still in silence as his Bolt plasmid returned to its normal state. _This is the second time this has happened to me like this…_ he thought, _What's going on?_

_That's what I was going to ask you._ replied a familiar voice from within his head.

_Yugi!_ Atem gasped mentally, _Y-you saw the whole thing?!_

_Well, yeah._ Yugi admitted, _I don't know how I did it though…_ No sooner than the doppelganger finished than a strange flashback came into Atem's head… It composed of people he hardly knew, and he realized that flashback wasn't his own.

"**Hey guys! I'm back!"**

"**Hey! What's up Dude? I was starting to get worried about you!"**

"**How did it go? Did you meet Mei Lin's rescuer? What's he like?"**

"**Slow down, will you? Yeah, I met him all right! You're not gonna believe what happened after that!"**

Atem gasped. _What's wrong?_ Yugi asked.

_… There were some people you were talking to._ Atem answered. _Who are they? And what are those pins they're wearing?_ The Bolt wielder felt the other's surprise through their mind link.

_Whoa! I guess our telepathy is even more powerful than I thought! It seems that we can also see each other's memories as well as perceive each other's surroundings. I didn't mention this before, but maybe that's how I overheard your team's conversation with Raiden._

_Strange…_ Atem mused. _So how do we control that?_

_I think we'll find out soon enough._ Yugi suggested, _Right now, our friends need help._

_That's right!_ Atem gasped, _Thanks for reminding me!_ He turned around and stepped toward his companions. "Is everyone all right?"

"Uugh, I'm not so sure." Jonouchi muttered sullenly as Mai helped him to his feet. "Just look at me! I lost both my right hand and my left arm! I can't do anything anymore! I'm useless!" By then the sandy blonde was on the verge of tears.

"HELLOOOOO!" A gruff voice suddenly called out as if from nowhere, grabbing the team's attention. Ryouta's eyes widened in amazement, recognizing the voice almost instantly.

"Dad?!" he cried, "Is that you?! Where are you?!"

"OVER HERE!" the voice called again.

Mai gasped, pointing toward a frozen door. "It's coming from over there!"

"Well I can't just use my Blaze to melt this thing!" Jonouchi retorted. "I don't have the hands to do it!"

"Fear not Jonouchi Boy," Pegasus declared, "We have an alternative. Honda Boy, you do the honors."

At first, Honda stared in confusion, but then he turned toward the still burning corpse of Bandit Keith and smiled. "Gladly!" he stated and picked up the burning body with his Telekinesis. Then he slammed it onto the door of the freezer. The fire did its work, melting the ice that kept the freezer locked. Rushing inside, the team found a man tied to a chair, shivering. The man had a grizzled look, and a strong resemblance to Ryouta.

"Dad!" Ryouta cried in joy, rushing over to undo the ropes. "It is you! Thank god you're all right! What happened to you?!"

"Heh, heh… I knew you'd come, my boy. Almost three years in this giant ice box and I never gave up hope." The man, Kajiki, stated gratefully, "And you came just in time too. Just before you came inside the Atlantis Fisheries with your friends, Keith tied me up and locked me in! He was planning to splice me up by force when the fight was over. And since I'm not compatible with Nagi, I wasn't looking forward to it."

"I'm glad we kept that from happening." Atem sighed in relief as the grizzled ex-smuggler was freed from his bonds.

Standing up, Kajiki faced the rest of the team and smiled. "And for that, I owe you big time! Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, can you tell us where to find an evacuation submarine?" Atem asked.

"An evacuation sub?" Kajiki gasped in surprise. "You're planning to leave Kyoki?"

"Jonouchi and I will," Atem answered, "as soon as we rescue the family that's trapped inside that submarine."

"That's funny, I haven't heard of a family that got trapped here with me…" Kajiki muttered. "Anyway, the sub is located in the hideout beyond the Fisheries Freezers. Peach will lead you to the entrance."

The Bolt wielder grew sad. "Yeah… about that. She was killed in the fight against your captor."

Kajiki bowed his head. "Oh… I see." There was a tinge of sorrow in those words as he spoke, but he lifted his head up with a look of determination. "In that case, I'll be the one to lead you there. Follow me." He proceeded to step ahead, when he saw the sandy blonde. "Huh? What happened to your friend here?"

"It's a long story." Jonouchi replied sorrowfully.

"Ha ha ha ha, don't you worry my friend," Kajiki laughed heartily, "I know just the thing that can fix you right up!" With that, he sped over to a hall on the other side of the main freezer, and the others followed in suit. At the bottom of one flight of stairs, there was the pneumo tube that contained the team's weapons, and close by was another strange tube. It was the size of a bathroom shower, with the appearance of a see-through tanning chamber that had stepped out of the latest science fiction movie and a computer attached the side, all while a blue lightning bolt flickered in the very center. Above this tube there was a sign marked with the words, 'Vita-Chamber'.

"Vita-Chamber?" Jonouchi read. "What is that thing?"

"Just get inside and find out." Kajiki stated, removing the bandage that covered the stump on his right arm. Hesitantly, Jonouchi stepped toward the machine. Atem watched in curiosity as the grizzled ex-smuggler pushed a button. The glass tube slid sideways and opened like a dispenser. The sandy blonde turned nervously toward Kajiki, and he nodded. "Go on, don't be scared." He encouraged. Slowly, Jonouchi stepped inside and turned around so that he was facing beyond the interior. Kajiki pushed another button, and the tube slid closed, securing its patient inside. Instantly, he began to float and ribbons of blue energy surrounded him, traveling up and down in seemingly fluid grace. The computer screen turned on, scanning his body and replicating it on screen, while at the same time a separate window appeared showing an image of a beating heart along with a monitor that checked his vital statistics.

"What's going on?!" Jonouchi cried, growing scared. A few seconds passed before a message appeared on the screen.

"_**Scan complete. Initiating reconstruction.**_"

The ribbons suddenly combined to form the blue lightning bolt, which began to glow brighter. Soon after that the bolt pulsed like a defibrillator, and Jonouchi let out a yelp of shock as his body jerked in response. Just as quickly though, he began to feel a tingling sensation coming from the stumps where his hand and arm used to be. "H-hey! I'm feeling kinda funny!" he exclaimed. There was a strange cracking noise and he felt something grow out from the stump on his left shoulder. Atem stared in amazement as he saw exactly what was growing: A bone! And it kept on growing until it reached where the elbow was, where it split into ligaments and cartilage before growing into a set of forearm bones. Jonouchi looked at the stump on his right arm and stared in awe as another set of forearm bones began to grow and then form the smaller bones that made up the wrist and hand. The same applied to the left side. "No way!" he gasped as watched the nerves, arteries and veins crawled onto the bones, followed by muscle tissue. Finally a membrane covered the newly re-grown limbs and solidified into skin. The light of the bolt dimmed.

"_**Reconstruction complete.**_"

The sandy blonde floated down to the ground and the tube slid open once again. When he stepped out, his heart filled with joy. It was as if he had never lost his limbs to begin with! "I… I got my arm back! My hand too! And they're both moving!" He punched his fists into the air. "ALL RIGHT! I can fight again!" Without hesitation, he reached into the pneumo tube and pulled out his sword, happy to be able to hold it again.

"… Incredible!" Atem gasped joyfully, "That machine actually restored Jonouchi's limbs! Nothing else in this world can do that!"

Again, Kajiki let out a hearty laugh. "That's the beauty of the Vita-Chamber, my friend! Through plasmid reconstruction and quantum entanglement, this device can restore anyone inside it to full health. It's like the Nami serum on steroids; it can heal the most serious flesh wounds that a normal Nami serum can't and as you can see, it can also allow its patients to re-grow lost limbs."

"Awesome!" Jonouchi cheered. "We should use this thing more often!"

"As useful as they are, the problem is that those machines are hard to find in Kyoki." Honda explained, "Each section has only about two or three Vita-Chambers, all of which are located very far apart from each other. And as far I know some of them aren't exactly in the best of shape."

"On the other hand," Mai added, "some enemies can also use the Vita-Chamber, if they're smart enough to know the exact location of at least one. Thankfully, few splicers are also smart enough to take advantage of it during a battle, even if it's close at hand."

"I guess that includes Keith." Jonouchi muttered with a smirk.

"Exactly." Kajiki replied. "Now let's keep on moving!" With that, Pegasus, Honda and Mai retrieved their weapons from the pneumo. But the team had barely started traveling down the second flight of stairs when the grizzled ex-smuggler suddenly stopped. "Oh! Before I forget, there's a rumor that the Vita-Chambers have one more special ability. And it's the most powerful of them all: the ability to resurrect the dead!" Everyone gasped at his words. The Vita-Chamber can bring a dead person back to life? It kind of hard to believe! "However," he continued, "it can only work on specific individuals. Like most people, I don't know who those individuals are, nor do I know how they can activate this ability. Come to think of it, I doubt they even know the key themselves…"

_Now he's got me curious. Who can the lucky ones be?_ Atem thought to himself, _Too bad I won't stay long enough to find out._

* * *

It wasn't a long way down to the basement of the Atlantis Fisheries, but the ice on the stairs made the trip all the more slow and unsteady. When they finally reached the bottom staircase without falling, they all noticed a small vending machine attached to a nearby wall. "Hey!" Honda called out, pointing to the machine, "You actually have a Power to the People station!" Indeed, there was a banner above the machine with the words, 'Power to the People' embladed upon it.

"The Power to the People station?" Jonouchi queried, "I think you said something about this thing before, how it can upgrade your pistol or something like that."

"It's not just pistols Jonouchi," Honda explained, "It can give an upgrade for any weapon, including swords. Since the start of the Kyoki Wars, the Power to the People Station is incredibly popular—so popular in fact, that many of them now have only one use left. You'll rarely find such a station with more than that."

"How many uses does this one have?" asked Atem.

Honda scanned the machine and replied, "Only one, as I expected. Those splicers working for Keith must have milked it dry. Might as well use the last drop for our advantage."

"I'm just thankful each of us only needs one upgrade for our weapons." Pegasus sighed.

"But which one of us will get an upgrade first?" Mai queried.

Honda grinned. "It's obvious, isn't it? Jonouchi, why don't you give it a try?"

"Really?!" Jonouchi exclaimed in excitement. "Thanks Honda!" The Telekinesis wielder pushed some buttons on the setup screen while the sandy blonde took his sword and placed it inside the capsule. Once the weapon was secured, the capsule closed shut. Soon there was a noise of grinding gears and clanking metal.

"I told you Dartz was gonna fuck you," complained a strange voice coming from behind them, "but noooooo! You just would not listen!"

"What was that?!" a surprised Atem gasped.

"Hey, at least I fucked him first Jack." Retorted another voice.

"Oh yeah?" quipped a third, "In case you've forgotten, we're not the ones who suffocated in a sack like you did Sammy!"

"D-did you hear something?" Jonouchi stutter.

"I don't hear anything." Ryouta admitted

"Neither did I." Kajiki replied likewise. Everyone else turned around to find what looked like three fish workers, two males and one female. All were nearly transparent, their clothes and faces stained with blood.

"C'mon! I managed to send an email to Mutou before that happened!" the first man, Sammy, "I mean, you guys took part in that big shootout seven years ago! You know my plan succeeded!"

"Well if you think our traitorous employer got what he deserved in that battle, think again!" stated the second man, Jack.

"GYAAAA!" Jonouchi screamed in horror, pointing to the trio, "G-G-GHOSTS!!! JUST LIKE WHAT JULIE AND PEACH WERE TALKING ABOUT!"

"Calm down Jonouchi!" Atem reassured, "As unsettling as it is, I'm sure they won't hurt us." Of course, the noise grabbed the attention of the female ghost.

"Heads up boys!" she called out to her two ghostly companions, "We got company, and they can see us!" Sammy and Jack looked up to see the team.

"Really? Who?" Sammy exclaims in confusion.

"Seems like those five!" Jack replied, "And by the looks of it, they're Plasmunds!"

"Hmmm, it's been a while since anyone outside Dragon King's Bounty came to the Fisheries…" Sammy mused, "But these two in particular, I haven't seen them around anywhere before. Where'd you come from?"

"Ehhh, w-we come f-from the surface…" Jonouchi stuttered.

"Cool." the girl ghost replied, "What's life like up there?"

"It's certainly better than it is down here." Atem replied simply.

The girl ghost sighed. "Tell me about it! This place is becoming more like a nightmare than a paradise."

"Peach Wilkins told us all about you guys." Honda noted, "She said you know the truth about Dartz."

"That's right," Jack answered, "Sophie and I were among those who were forced to fight against Mutou's army during the shootout."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Atem asked.

"We'll do more than tell you." Replied the girl ghost, Sophie, "We'll show you!" Quickly, she reached out and touched the foreheads of Atem and Jonouchi. Jack did the same with Honda and Mai, and there was a bright flash of light. When it faded, all four participants were standing in the middle of a large wharf. The sound of gunfire and battle screams filled their ears.

"Where are we?!" Mai exclaimed.

"It looks like we're back in the Main Wharf of Dragon King's Bounty!" Atem replied, "But there's something different about it!" Indeed there was. For one thing, everything seems newer. The docks were less damp and the walls were well painted with no sign out of place.

"Now that you mention it, this scene looks awfully familiar…" Mai paused before she suddenly let out a gasp. "Wait! I've seen this on the news when I was 17!"

"I saw it too, when I was ten!" Honda gasped, "This must be a vision of Dragon King's Bounty as it was seven years ago!"

"Seven years ago?! You mean this is the past?!" Jonouchi exclaimed. It didn't take long before they all realized that they were in the middle of a battlefield, with bullets flying from both sides. All the bullets passed harmlessly through the four Plasmunds since it's only a vision, but nevertheless they rushed out over to one side. Once there, they got a good look at the army that stood on the other side. Leading it was a man his late thirties, whom everyone recognized immediately, including Atem.

"Forward men! For a better tomorrow!"

"It's Ryu Mutou!" Atem gasped quietly, staring at the strong man before him and his friends. "But he looks so pure, so noble. He's more like a crusader than a tyrant."

"This must be what Ryu Mutou was like… before this battle was over." Mai stated. "It must be the last time anyone saw him as a real hero." They looked at the other army close by. Among a wave of fish workers and low class splicers a man dressed in a Chinese-styled tunic and pants stood defiantly, using nothing but powerful plasmids to take down his foes. The upper half of his face was still hidden in shadow, but they could see that the man had long turquoise hair. On the chest was sewn a familiar circle-star pattern.

"So Ryu Mutou, you think you can punish me for embracing the very philosophy you espouse?" the man exclaimed mockingly in a smooth tenor voice. Atem grew stiff at the sound of that voice, though he had no idea why.

"You did not embrace the Great Chain Dartz, you perverted it!" Ryu retorted, "Many lives in Kyoki have been destroyed by your schemes, but this ends now! My city will have justice!" He lifted up his machine gun and fired. Even as the bullets pierced his chest however, there was a wicked smirk upon Dartz's face. The four Plasmunds watched as he fell, blood spraying out of his chest. He landed on the ground near where they are, and Mutou's army surged forward in larger numbers. The chaos that followed was nothing less than intense. Soon two familiar figures came into their view.

"That must be Sophie and Jack!" Honda noted. Jack was carrying Sophie, who was horribly wounded. They collapsed near the body of their ex-employer.

"Ugh… Jack!" Sophie coughed, "See what became of our dream! If I had known this was going to happen I should never have agreed to work for Dartz!"

"Neither should I. But don't worry Sophie." Jack reassured looking at the corpse of Dartz. "That bastard is finally dead! And that's all that matters." Sophie looked up toward where her friend was staring. Suddenly, she gasped.

"Wait Jack! Look!" Atem and the others also looked, and they were shocked to find that the 'corpse' was lifting his head. A pair of eyes appeared from the shadows hiding his face, one turquoise-blue, one golden. Slowly he sat up, dug into his shirt and pulled out a bulletproof chest plate, which still leaked with 'blood'. In truth, he was completely unharmed and he gave a wicked grin. Suddenly, both fish workers were struck down by several bullets and before they realized it the Plasmunds were once again surrounded by bright light. With the vision over, they were all returned to the present. There was a long moment of silence between them all as the truth sank in.

"What happened?" Pegasus asked, "What did they show you?"

Atem clenched his fists. "Raiden was wrong." He replied in a low tone, "Half of Kyoki's population had suspected it, but the ghosts have confirmed it." He turned around to face the others, his expression a mix of shock and fury. "Dartz is **still alive**! He's faked his own death!"

The Bolt wielder's Video Phone signaled a call and he lifted it up. "Are you almost there, everyone?" asked Raiden.

"We're near the entrance to smuggler's hideout right now. There's no need to worry." Atem replied. At that moment the capsule on the Power to the People station opened, revealing a fully upgraded sword. The pommel and hilt had become edgier in appearance, and the blade was longer and wider. Its surface was like a polished piece of platinum.

"Oh yeah! This is perfect!" Jonouchi declared as he took out his blade. "I'll take this as a little souvenir!"

"Let's get to it then." Atem replied, "The sooner we get to Raiden's family, the sooner we can leave this nightmare behind us!"

"Yeah! I sure don't want to meet that Dartz creep anytime soon, or Ryu Mutou for that matter!" Jonouchi agreed.

Everyone turned toward the ghosts. "Thank you for your assistance." Atem stated.

"Just be careful out there." Sophie replied.

"And one more thing," Sammy warned, "Don't let your guard down when Raiden shows up. He's not who he claims to be."

"I guess this is where we go our separate ways my friends." Ryouta sighed. "I am eternally in your debt for rescuing my dad. Take care of yourselves."

"You too Ryouta." Atem replied.

"The entrance is behind that sheet of ice." Kajiki stated, pointing towards the other side of the hall.

"That's easy to take care of!" Jonouchi replied with a grin. He lifted his hand and unleashed a ball of fire to melt the ice.

"You got it!" Raiden exclaimed in excitement, "It should be smooth sailing from here!"

"What are we waiting for?!" Pegasus shouted, "Let's go already!"

"Yeah, let's get them out of here!" Honda agreed. With that, the team of five rushed inside the tunnel leaving behind a grateful Ryouta, who even then had an arm wrapped around his father's shoulder.

Note: The plot thickens! Our heroes are on their way to rescuing Raiden's family, but will they make it? Is there even a family to rescue? Find out in the next chapter of Plasmashock! Until next time!


	21. Chapter 21

Note: I got this chapter finished in record time! Now if only I can think up the plots of my other stories with the same speed... Anyway, I fixed the little grammar slip in the previous chapter. And now on with the story! Our heroes were on their way to the evacuation submarine... and for Atem and Jonouchi, their ticket out of Kyoki. But what happens when a certain King of Kyoki enters the picture? Enjoy!

**Chapter 21: Smuggler's Hideout**

The scene of five Plasmunds sped on the screen as a certain middle-aged man watched on in his office. "I knew that boy reminded me of someone I know." Ryu Mutou muttered, his eyes focusing on a certain Bolt wielder. "But as to who that 'someone' happens to be… this is completely unexpected!" He shook his head quickly. "Ugh! I mustn't let him toy with me like this! Still, there is one thing about him that disturbs me. From what I saw with my own eyes… he's not really sent by the government at all!"

A pair of splicer soldiers rushed in to his side. "You called for us Boss?"

"Yes." Mutou replied, not taking his eyes off the screen, "I want you to send some splicers to the smuggler's old hideout. Even as I speak, the parasite and his friends are on their way to the evacuation submarine that is located inside. No doubt Raiden will be waiting for them once they get there."

"Right away Boss!" the splicer soldiers replied with a salute, and they rushed out to signal the splicers in Dragon King's Bounty.

Mutou sighed as his guards left. "And while we're at it, I think it's time for me to pay this group a more personal visit." With that, he took a Video Phone out of his drawers.

* * *

Meanwhile, the tunnel leading to the smuggler's hideout was filled with the sound of several footsteps as Atem and the others sped even closer to their goal. "My family couldn't be farther ahead!" Raiden replied on Atem's Video Phone. "Please hurry!" Suddenly Atem stopped in his tracks. His mind was filled with the memories of his adoptive parents: the times he helped them in the rice paddies, the dinners he had together, the times they watched him play on a tire swing. As with the flashbacks he had back at the Medical Pavilion, the memories sped by in rapid succession before fading abruptly. Atem clutched his forehead in shocked confusion. _It's happened again! What the hell is going on?!_

Jonouchi heard his childhood friend stop, and he turned around. "What's up this time Atem?!" he asked.

"It's strange." Atem replied, "I just had some flashbacks about my adoptive parents."

The sandy blonde's expression grew soft. "… You miss them, don't you?"

"Maybe…" Atem sighed. The two of them continued on with their companions as they soon reached a room stacked with some small crates.

"Blossom, see if you can find the evacuation submarine on your radar." Pegasus suggested.

"Okie-dokie Master!" Blossom squeaked and she began to scan the area and beyond.

"I guess for you guys," Honda replied hesitantly to Atem and Jonouchi, "it's time to say goodbye."

"Yes, it is." Atem agreed. "My only regret is that I won't be able to rescue more Scavengers. But at least I helped a few of them."

"Don't worry about it." Mai replied, "Pegasus will find someone else who can use the Restoration plasmid."

"Hey, I was wondering," Jonouchi stated, "Would you guys like to go with us to the surface?"

"I'd love to!" Mai replied eagerly, "I've always wanted to see the surface with my own eyes."

"As much as I wanted to go with you guys, I can't." Honda sighed. "I have to stay with Aunt Julie and give her my support in the Kyoki Wars."

"If that's the case Honda, we're definitely going to miss you." Atem stated.

"I found it!" Blossom exclaimed, jumping up and down on Pegasus' shoulder. "The sub is past the control room, over there!" Everyone rushed over to see where she was pointing. Through a large hole in the wall, not far from the door leading to the control room, there was a small rusted submarine bobbing up and down in the surrounding water.

"Raiden! We found your family!" Atem exclaimed.

"Great job guys!" Raiden cheered, "I'm close by the sub as well, but I can't get through to see them! Use the switch in the control room to help me out! It's time for us to get acquainted!" With that the Video Phone shut off.

"You heard him! Let's get him in here!" Atem commanded.

"You stay and pull the switch Atem Boy." Pegasus suggested, "The rest of us will go down and inspect Raiden's family. We have to be sure that they're okay."

"All right. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll pull the switch then." Atem replied. The team had made their entrance into the control room when suddenly Atem's Video Phone emitted its loud signal. "What is it now Raiden?" Atem growled, growing frustrated as his escape was being delayed. The screen was all snowy, but soon the image cleared up. But instead of the familiar Chinese guide, he was shocked to see the equally familiar face of a distinguished middle-aged man. "What the hell?!" Atem roared in shock.

"What's wrong?!" Honda asked before he and the others sped by his side. When they saw the man on the screen, their shock was just as great.

"No way!" Jonouchi shouted, "How did he get on?!"

"You had your fun boys," Ryu Mutou warned sternly, "but enough is enough! If any of you pull that switch, you will learn what it truly means to be my enemy!" The Video Phone shut off soon after.

"Unbelievable!" Mai gasped, "I didn't even think that creep had his own Video Phone!"

Atem replied in determination, "Well we can't let him stop us now! We've gone too far in this journey to give up at this point!"

"Right!" Jonouchi agreed, "We'll go on ahead to the sub and you can watch us from here!" With that, the sandy blonde sped down the twisting cell corridor toward the sub, followed by Honda, Mai and Pegasus. Atem stayed behind, looking out at the room where the sub was located. After a minute of waiting, his friends finally came into view. The four of them surrounded the sub and the Telekinesis wielder lifted up his Video Phone to give a call.

"We're by the sub Raiden." He confirmed, "We're trying to take a look at your family."

"Can you hear them in sub?" asked the guide nervously, "Are they making any noise at all?"

"Not much." Jonouchi answered.

"They must be scared." Raiden reasoned, "Hurry and pull the switch. The longer I'm separated from my wife and child the more anxious I get!" The Video Phone shut off.

"Do you see anyone inside Mai?" Jonouchi asked.

"It's too dark in here!" she replied, "I can't even make out a single figure!"

"There's obviously no movement." Pegasus noted, "I'm beginning to wonder if there are any people inside." He turned toward the robot doll. "How about you scan the sub to see if anyone is inside."

"Sure, but it's gonna take a while before all the data's sorted out. After all, I haven't been upgraded yet." Blossom stated.

"We'll need to make a scan anyway," Pegasus replied, "The more I try to inspect this sub, the more suspicious it looks."

"Okie-dokie!" Blossom squeaked and she went on with the scan, taking in every detail of the interior.

"In any case, we can't keep Raiden waiting." Honda reminded, and he pushed the buttons on his Video Phone. Back in the control room Atem's Video Phone screeched its signal.

"Is everything all right?" Atem asked.

"Yeah," Honda replied, "It's too dark inside the sub to see Raiden's family, so we're going to let him in. Do your stuff!"

"All right, here I go." With that the Bolt wielder took hold of the lever and pulled. Immediately the lights flickered until it went out completely and sirens blasted in the whole hideout.

"Atem! What's going on up there?!" Jonouchi exclaimed. Startled, Atem tried to rush to the door.

"Damn! The door's locked!" he growled.

"You sure?!" Honda shouted, "I can't see you in there!" Just at that moment the door on the other side slid open. Out rushed a tall man, wearing a white long sleeved Chinese tunic lined with turquoise and white puffy pants fitted with stylish white boots. The upper half of his face was still hidden under the wide cone-shaped hat, and a single turquoise braid hung out from under it. It didn't take long for the others to know exactly who that man was.

"Ah, so you must be Raiden! And in the flesh!" Jonouchi exclaimed over the noise.

Raiden reached out and shook hands with the sandy blonde. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last, everyone." He replied. "Where's Atem?"

"He's still up in the control room!" Honda answered.

Raiden turned around to see only black in the control room. "I don't see him! Where the hell is he?"

"I'm right in front of the window!" Atem exclaimed from the Video Phone, and the guide grabbed Honda's machine.

"Did you blow a fuse up there?!" Raiden asked. "I can't see a damn thing where you are!"

"Well since you mentioned it, I think I might have! Not only that, the door is locked and I can't get out!"

"Give me a minute then!" Raiden suggested, "I'll try to open the sub." He ended the call and tossed the Video Phone back to the sandy blonde. "Jonouchi, you and the others head back to the control room and get your friend out of there! Blow down the door if you have to!"

"All right," Jonouchi agreed, "we'll be back once we get him!" Everyone except Raiden sped back down the tunnel to help the Bolt wielder.

"Chai Mi, my love!" Raiden shouted toward the submarine, "Can you hear me? I'm coming!" With that he calmly stepped toward a standing computer close by and began to push the buttons.

Back at the darkened control room, Atem watched the whole scene unfolding before his eyes. As Raiden had started tinkering with the computer, the Bolt wielder's Video Phone once again beeped its signal. He barely had his hand upon it before the voice of a certain King of Kyoki spoke out. "It's so dark in there, isn't it?" Atem gasped in an angry shock lifting up his machine in time to see Mutou on screen. "If only your friends could see you from where you're standing right now." Mutou continued, "You're lucky your traveling companions are coming to get you Boy. But what about the friend who stayed behind? Hmmm… maybe you could warn that friend."

"Warn him?!" Atem bellowed, "Warn him of what?!"

"Do something Boy! Anything!" Mutou replied unfazed, "Don't just stand there… and watch." The screen quickly turned snowy.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Atem barked, but as he looked out from the window, his crimson eyes widened in a more horrified shock. Not far from the evacuation submarine, a common spider splicer dressed in a tattered schoolgirl uniform and wearing a mask shaped like a cat was crawling on the ceiling—and she was speeding towards Raiden himself! "Oh no! Raiden!!" Atem gasped and he started banging on the window. The guide spun around, obviously annoyed that he was being interrupted. Immediately he picked up his Video Phone.

"What is it now Atem?!" Raiden barked.

"Watch out!" Atem shouted, not taking his eyes off the window, "Splicers are on your tail!" Right at that moment, the splicer jumped down just as Raiden looked behind him. Before Atem even knew it, large pipes came crashing down right in front of the window and burst steam, blocking his view. Even on the Video Phone, the images were momentarily blurry. The startled Bolt wielder backed away in time to see several more spider splicers in bloodstained jeans and shorts and tattered T-shirts and tank tops. One slammed her sickles into the window, breaking the glass before jumping down. "RAIDEN!!" Suddenly, he heard a loud bang on the door, startling him to no end. Seconds later the door was blasted from its frame and onto the floor. There stood his four friends, and Atem breathed a sigh of relief.

"Atem Boy! Are you all right in there?!" Pegasus asked in concern.

"I'm fine!" Atem replied, "But Raiden was being attacked by splicers!" At the same moment, the screen cleared up showing Raiden once more.

"Damn it! They're everywhere!" Raiden panted, "I can't hold them off! We'll have to pull back! Atem, you and the others get my family out of there and we'll regroup as soon as we can!"

"Got it!" Atem exclaimed, "Let's head back to the sub everyone!"

"Lead the way!" Mai shouted as the entire team sped out of the control room. Right away however, they were met with overwhelming opposition.

"Oh great!" Jonouchi murmured sarcastically, "This is getting too old!" He unsheathed his newly upgraded sword, which augmented the flames from his Blaze plasmid. "SPINNING INFERNO!" As always he spun around, blade outward, to form the ring of fire characteristic of his Overdrive Ability. However, the ring was larger and wider to match the improved blade. But that wasn't what surprised the onlookers. With a second rotation the sandy blonde seemed to toss that flaming ring forward with his sword and it struck a large group of common spider splicers from a distance! "Hey, hey!" Jonouchi cheered, as the incinerated splicers screeched their last. "My Overdrive Ability just reached level two!"

Honda and Pegasus, meanwhile, shot down two more spider splicers that were crawling on the ceiling. Just as a third jumped down to attack, Mai pierced him between the eyes with a well-aimed crossbow bolt. Once the first wave was felled, the team sped forward. "Now's not the time to show off!" Raiden barked from the Video Phone. "Get out and we'll regroup! Hurry!" as they neared the tunnel leading toward the submarine, the second wave of splicers arrived.

"Master!" Blossom squeaked, hiding behind the plasmid merchant's shoulder as he rattled his machine gun, "The data is almost fully loaded!" Atem slammed his electrically charged quarterstaff upon a Brown Recluse in a modern business suit, then skewered another before finishing him off with a ball of electricity channeled from his Bolt plasmid.

"How about we even the odds with this!" Honda exclaimed, using his Telekinesis to pick up a heavy fire extinguisher and toss it toward a large number of the enemy. It knocked one on the head and as he fell cold the extinguisher landed on the ground with a 'tong' before blasting the rest with the resulting explosion.

"Good shot!" Atem complimented, "Now let's move out to the sub before another mob gets in our way! We're almost there!" With that the entire team sped down the tunnel. Even in the speed they were running, the path seemed long and difficult. Yet the evacuation submarine was in their sights, floating quietly upon its pool of seawater.

They had reached the end of the tunnel when Blossom squeaked, "I got it Master! The data's loaded!"

**BOOOOOOOOOOOM!**

At that very moment, the shell of the submarine was shattered to pieces and forced apart by a gigantic ball of fire coming from within, all with a loud bang and the force of a hurricane. Atem and the others screamed as they were knocked down to the ground. For a moment, they all just laid there. Then slowly, each Plasmund sat up.

"Oww… Are you guys all right?" Mai asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Ugh… dandy." Jonouchi muttered. Pegasus felt around his left shoulder for his robotic doll—only to find that she was missing!

"Blossom?!" Pegasus gasped, "**Blossom?!** Where did you go?!" In a panic he began to look around.

"Uh, don't look now Pegasus," Honda replied, "but I think you need to fix her." Confused, Pegasus looked to where the Telekinesis wielder was pointing. On the ground not far away from the closest jail cell, Blossom lay twitching. Her eyes were blank with dizzy spirals and water dripped from her grinning mouth, making her look like she was drooling.

"BLOSSOM!!!" Pegasus screamed teary-eyed, and he picked up his broken doll, "My poor baby! Speak to me!" Atem was paying no attention to the scene behind him however. He could only stare in utter shock… and dismay.

"Atem!" Raiden exclaimed from the Video Phone, "What the hell is going on?!" The Bolt wielder did not reply. He only peered down at the machine that rested limply in his hand. "Atem?!" Raiden shouted in a more agitated voice. Atem simply shut his eyes and with tears flowing down his cheeks he lifted his Video Phone toward the scene ahead of him. Onscreen the guide gasped in horror. "The sub… the sub!! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" The others heard Raiden's anguished scream and turned to find the most shocking sight of their lives. There were scraps of burning metal and in the middle of the pool there was still a large bonfire blazing from what used to be a metal sphere.

The evacuation submarine was utterly destroyed, along with anything that was inside it… if there was anything.

The team stared in silence, taking in the whole scene. "I don't believe it!" Jonouchi gasped. "They're gone…!"

Honda's Video Phone beeped it signal, and he lifted it up to answer it. Almost immediately, Mutou appeared on screen. "If you choose to surrender now, I'll arrange a quick and painless death for all of you." He stated uncaringly.

Everyone gasped in shock. But for Atem, shock quickly gave way to fury. "YOU!!" he roared as he grabbed his friend's Video Phone, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!"

"You'd be surprised at the kind of desperate measures I have to take in order to defend this city from parasites and traitors. But you, Boy, are a completely different matter altogether… and not just for your 'merry band' of rag-tag misfits. You ooze in like an assassin, yet you try to sneak out like a thief. You're no DIH ghost! Who are you?! Why have you come here?! And for that matter, why do you look like Yugi?" Atem's eyes widened in shock upon hearing the tyrant's words. How did he know about his resemblance to Yugi?! "Hmph." Mutou grumbled, "I suppose there are two ways to deal with this little mystery: uncover it… or destroy it." The screen quickly goes snowy as he cut off the call. Atem couldn't control his rage any longer. He threw the Video Phone as hard as he could. Luckily Honda caught it before it could get smashed to the ground.

"HEY!" Honda shouted, "I know you're mad Atem, but don't go throwing my Video Phone!"

From Atem's own machine, the grieving Raiden finally spoke. "Everyone… get out of here!" He sobbed, "Get out and head to Arcadia! Oh, Amida Buddha!" Then, he too cut off his call.

"Arcadia?" Honda gasped in surprise, "That's where **I** was planning to go!" Suddenly, Atem rushed past the others, shoving even his childhood friend.

"Atem?!" Jonouchi gasped in shock. The Bolt Wielder gave no reply and just ran on through the gate to the next tunnel… the tunnel leading to Arcadia.

"There's no doubt he's upset about this situation." Pegasus muttered, "Let's follow him." Jonouchi, Honda and Mai all nodded in agreement, and they all rushed after their friend… all hoping that he would not do something drastic.

Note: The adventure in Dragon King's Bounty has reached its conclusion, but the adventure in Arcadia will soon begin! In the next chapter, our heroes will enter a world of lush green forests. New dangers lurk within, but luckily some familiar faces will join them in their new mission: to slay Ryu Mutou himself! Until next time!


	22. Chapter 22

Note: That took me long enough... It just gets harder and harder to leap over those writer's block hurdles without any help. Anyway, I've managed to get the next chapter all finished! Very soon the next adventure in Kyoki begins! And this time the team has a new mission, and they won't be alone! What lurks in the shadows of the Arcadia forests? Time to find out!

**Chapter 22: Arcadia**

The splicer in the business suit sat lazily in front of the many screens in front of him, not really paying attention to anything happening on each screen. Suddenly the sound of an opening door echoed in the darkness. As if like a ghost, a man stepped through, shrouded in the shadows. The splicer knew at once that this was his master. "Care to explain why you wanted me to come here?" the man asked.

The splicer let out a sigh and turned around. "Well Sir, the gig's up." he replied, "They met the ghosts and now they know what really happened at the shootout. They know you're still alive!" At first, there was silence. But then the man began to chuckle. "Eh? What's so funny?"

"That doesn't matter." The man replied, as a pair of eyes appeared within the shadows: one turquoise-blue and one golden. "They still don't know about Raiden. And as long as they remain ignorant to his role in my plan, everything will be perfect."

"But-but what if they find out about his role in Kyoki politics?"

"Fear not." The man replied, "I've weaseled my way out of death's grip in the past. After that, this is a cakewalk."

The splicer paused before he replied, "Whatever you say Dartz."

The man, Dartz, gave a wicked smirk before his eyes turned to one of the surveillance screens. On it, a certain crimson-eyed Bolt wielder was running down the tunnel, ready to burst into tears. "Well," Dartz mused, "It seems the submarine tragedy has made a crack in Atem's spirit. Perhaps now he'll give in to the temptation."

* * *

Atem stopped in his tracks, exhausted. Slowly, he leaned back on a glass wall and plopped on the floor. Even as he sat down though, his whole body was still shaking. Raiden's pleas for help were still fresh in his mind… all leading up to the terrible explosion. "I… I've failed…" he muttered. "His family is… dead! And it's all my fault!" Right at that moment, his four companions had caught up with him.

"Atem Boy! There you are!" Pegasus panted, "Please don't run off like that again! Especially since poor Blossom got broken!"

Seeing the doll in her damaged state, the Bolt wielder asked, "What happened to her?"

"Apparently, the force of the explosion has damaged her hard drive." Honda explained, growing sad at the thought of the explosion. Indeed, there was a pregnant pause between the five of them as they recalled the event that transpired.

"It all happened so fast…" Mai muttered, "And I still can't believe it."

"All our efforts to save Raiden's family were for nothing." Jonouchi replied sadly. "And our ticket to the surface has been ripped to shreds!" Atem bowed down his head, his hands curling into fists. It wasn't long before he began to cry, and everyone else immediately took notice. "Hey, Atem!" Jonouchi stated, "I know you're feeling upset about it but--"

"It's all my fault!" Atem moaned.

"What?! Why would you say that?!" Mai gasped in surprise. "It's not your fault!"

"… Back at the Medical Pavilion, when I met up with Mei Lin…" Atem explained bitterly, "Raiden told me to kill her… and harvest the rapture slug to get the Nagi! Otherwise… I wouldn't survive, or worse: I'd put the lives of his family in jeopardy!"

**"Are you willing to throw away my life, and the lives of my wife and child in favor of one of these Frankensteins?"**

The others stared in shock over what they had just heard. "Raiden… actually told you that?!" Honda gasped.

"Yes… and I should have listened to him!" Atem cried, earning another gasp of shock from his companions. By then, the tears were streaming down his cheeks and he raised his voice in rage and heartbreak, "If I had just done what he had told me and harvested all those little **shits** to this point, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!!"

His viscous rant was immediately silenced by a hard punch in the face. Specifically, a hard punch thrown by Jonouchi. "You should listen to yourself Atem!" Jonouchi roared in anger, "What plasmid could you have gotten to stop that explosion?! Sure, we might not have been able to save Raiden's wife and kid, but we saved several other kids from living hell! And from my perspective, it definitely makes up for that loss! Are you really going to turn your back on those kids, **after all you've done for them**?!" The Bolt wielder stared at his childhood friend with a hurt expression on his face. And not just for the stinging pain on his cheek. He let out a sigh.

"You're right Jonouchi, I'm sorry." Atem replied remorsefully, "I shouldn't have lashed out like that. Even I should know… The Scavengers are not responsible for the death of Raiden's family."—his expression turned into a glare—"Mutou is." Suddenly, the sounds of a heartbroken guide emitted from Atem's Video Phone. He stood up, lifting it for all to see. Soon Raiden appeared on screen, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Chai Mi…! Fei Won…!" He sobbed, wiping the tears before his voice took on a more viscous tone. "Isn't that just—like—**Mutou**! He waits… until we're almost out, then he pulls the string! We'll find the bastard! We'll find him, AND WE'LL TEAR HIS HEAD OFF!!!" Right at that very moment Honda's Video Phone emitted its signal. As Mutou appeared on screen, the team's rage knew no bounds, especially Atem's.

"Listen well Boy." He stated, "I came down here to build the impossible! You and your friend came down to rob what you can't build, the Mongolian Horde gaping at the Great Wall of China. Even the air you breathe is expunged from my account."

"You're gonna be eating your own words soon enough Ryu Mutou!" Jonouchi roared. "We'll make you pay for what you've done!"

"In that case, breathe deep… so you can at least remember the taste." The call ended soon after.

"AUGH! He just doesn't get it does he?!" Jonouchi shouted angrily, "He doesn't own any air!"

"We need to stop him!" Atem growled, "His punishment is long overdue! Who's with me?!"

"You can count me in!" Honda replied.

"Me too!" chimed Mai.

"I concur fully!" Pegasus stated.

"You got my back!" Jonouchi agreed.

"Then what are you waiting for?!" Raiden hissed, "Get to the bathysphere in the Rolling Hills, located in Arcadia. That will lead you straight down the path to the devil himself. And then, all debts will be paid in full!" The screen went blank as he too ended the call.

"We'll do just that," Pegasus replied to the others, "But first, we need to rest up at the Eden Safehouse. It's bound to be a fierce battle, and without Blossom and her radar we don't stand a chance." Once again, he grew teary-eyed as he cradled Blossom in his hands. "Don't worry my little baby, we'll fix you right up… Just hang in there." With that the team forged ahead.

"I know Raiden doesn't care if the Scavengers get harvested, but to actually encourage other people to perform the harvesting?!" Honda fumed, "GRRR! I never thought his disregard toward those kids would be so blatant!"

Atem turned toward the Telekinesis wielder and replied, "You know Honda, now that you mention it… for someone so concerned with the safety of his own child, he really does seem callous toward the children of others. In fact, his personality in that aspect seems rather contradictory."

"You think so?" Jonouchi asked.

Atem simply nodded. "When we came to this nightmare of a city two days ago, Raiden was the first decent human we've met and since then we've turned to him for guidance more often than not. And yet… the more I think about it, the more I'm beginning to suspect that he's not as benevolent as he would like us to think."

* * *

From behind a vine-covered door, there was a loud noise of metal slamming against metal, then of a small lock clattering to the floor. Soon the door swung open, and the team stepped through they could not help but gaze in wonder of their surroundings. "Is it just me," Jonouchi asked, "or have we just entered some kind of jungle from another world?" Indeed the place they just entered was filled with all things living and green. Everywhere they looked, there were towering trees with leafy canopies that never seem to touch the ceiling, and beautiful flowers of many shapes and hues. They all emitted a sweet fragrance, but even that wasn't enough to cover the now too familiar scent of death and fresh blood.

"It's a jungle a right, but it's not another world." Honda replied, "This is Arcadia. Aunt Julie is the head biologist in this place, so she often works here."

"Julie Langford? A biologist?" Atem asked in surprise.

"That's right." Honda replied as he took out his Video Phone and entered a certain code. "My parents were biologists themselves, as well as inventors. I met Aunt Julie through them when I was still a kid. This place brings back a lot of memories." In a flash, the scientist appeared on screen.

"Julie Langford here." She announced, "Oh, hi there Sweet Cheeks! It's good to see you finally made it to Arcadia!"

"Good to see you too Aunt Julie." Honda greeted, "Can I ask you a favor? Can you help us with the radar?"

"Us?" Julie asked in confusion, before she noticed her nephew's teammates. "Oh, your friends are with you? You have that Gatherer's Garden doll with you. Why can't you use her?"

Once again, Pegasus grew teary eyed as he displayed the damaged Blossom before the scientist. "This is why." Pegasus sniffed.

Julie blinked in astonishment. "Oh my… I guess I better not ask how that happened."

"So will you help us?" Honda asked again.

"Sure! This will be no problem!" Julie replied cheerfully, "After all, I am the one who planted all the trees here!"

This brought about a surprised gasp from everyone. "You mean—**you** built Arcadia?!" Atem asked in a hushed tone.

"Sure did." Julie admitted, "As I said before, I was there when the whole city was under construction, but I was more than a mere witness. Ryu Mutou actually hired me to build this ecosystem of temperate and tropical forests, and not just for the natural beauty. This is the heart of Kyoki itself! This is where the city gets all of its oxygen! Now don't get me wrong, I'm a woman of science and biology. But when I was as young as you were, I was also a woman who wasn't afraid of picking up some extra cash. Two years after Kyoki opened its doors, Mutou said to me that if I boost the profits in Arcadia, part of the upkeep would be in my account. So I got to thinking, we'll be paying for emergency oxygen when we got photosynthesizing trees… Hell, we can even sell plants and extra supplies to the rest of the city and work over the competition! I figured that Mutou would like that for sure, so I put that plan into action—good thing too, because when Dartz came into the picture, his cronies moved into the O2 biz tooth and claw. But when the conflict turned to war and the war became more personal, Mutou suddenly gave in to temptations of greed. Around the same time he started enacting the death penalty, he closed Arcadia to all but paying customers! I mean can you believe it?! The bastard hired me to build a forest at the bottom of the sea, and after nearly two decades he took 'communing with nature' and turned it into a luxury!"

"I guess some things in this place are not as different as life on the surface…" Jonouchi groaned.

"Did you confront Mutou about this?" Atem asked.

"Yeah," replied Julie, adjusting her glasses in an irritated manner, "but when I did, he went off with this rant that was so annoying that I though my ears were going to bleed. He put in questions like, 'Should a farmer not be able to sell his food?' and 'Is a potter not entitled to a profit from her creatively decorated pots?' And let's not forget my personal favorite, 'Are the zoologists not entitled to reap the rewards of protecting and researching their animal subjects?'"—She emitted a sigh of frustration—"I thought about starting an argument with that tyrant, but then I remembered exactly who signed my checks. I tell you, if there's only one thing worse than a hypocrite, it's an unemployed hypocrite."

"CHRIST! IS SOMEBODY THERE?!" a masculine voice suddenly yelled.

"What was that?!" Mai gasped. The whole team looked around, until Pegasus pointed to a shoji screen.

"I think it's coming from over there!" he stated, speeding toward the gate. The others quickly followed him as he slides the vine-covered screen to the side. For a brief moment, there was what looked like a man dressed in a strange mix between a tattered business suit and a tunic that was best described as slightly primitive.

"THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!!!" the man yelled before he ran in a corner, and there was a sound like something had ripped to shreds.

"Hello?" called Atem. There was no reply.

"Is that a man, or a monster?" Jonouchi asked nervously.

"Only one way to find out." Atem replied, and he raised his quarterstaff pipe defensively. "Mai, get your research camera ready. If he's anything but a man, we'll need the information to defeat him." Mai nodded in determined agreement. Cautiously, each Plasmund stepped through the shoji screen. They eyed the bamboo groves as they slowly traveled, searching for movement of any kind.

"Stay close everyone." Pegasus warned, "For all I know it may be a powerful splicer."

"Wait!" Mai whispered, leading her companions to a small hallway. On the other side was the shadow of the man who had called to them.

"There he is!" Honda whispered.

"I'm going in!" Mai declared quietly, before rushing out ahead of her teammates. She raised her voice. "Hey! You mind if we have a chat?!" The shadow ran as she approached it, and once again there was that ripping sound. The violet-eyed shutterbug turned to the corner to find a dead end—and to her surprise, no person. "Huh? Where'd you go?" Her eyes scanned the room ahead of her, but what she found was a slab of wood propped up by an old beehive. The wood appeared to be decorated with antlers and some sticks, which brought out her curiosity. So she approached the slab for a closer look. As it turned out, the slab was carved haphazardly on the edges, but there were two holes in the front shaped distinctly like eyes. That was when it dawned on her:

That slab was actually a crude rendition of a mask.

"What in the world…?!" Mai muttered in shock and disgust. The lights in the lantern flickered on and off, before finally the ripping sound once again emitted itself in a gust of wind. In an instant, the man's shadow appeared right in front of her. Surprised by its sudden appearance, Mai slowly turned around. There stood the strangely dressed man, wearing the same mask that she has appraised!

"Hello Beautiful!" He crooned. Startled, the violet-eyed shutterbug let out a scream and jumped, even as her digital research camera flashed a picture of the man. In an instant the man vanished in a cloud of red. Soon afterwards Atem and the others rushed to the corner.

"Mai!" Jonouchi exclaimed, "Are you all right? That guy didn't attack you, did he?"

"I-I'm fine." Mai replied, looking at the digital photo she had taken. "But I think now I know exactly what we're dealing with." The others scanned the screen as the camera went into its data mode.

_**Fire Mage Splicer**_

_**Of all the splicer varieties, mage splicers are the only splicers who make extensive use of plasmids. They are also the only variety that is not categorized by the ranking of power. Instead, they are categorized by the specific plasmids they use. Each mage splicer specializes in one of the three powerful elemental plasmids, informally referred to as 'the three B's': Bolt, Blaze and Blizzard. The fire mage splicer, as the name implies, commands the power of the Blaze plasmid. At low levels they able to throw basic fireballs and charge at opponents like human meteors, but as they reach the heights of power their fireballs become more intense in heat and they can summon a weapon made entirely of fire. Like all mage splicers, Fire mages have the power of teleportation, and often uses it to gain the upper hand in battle. They are immune to fire of all kinds, but they are extremely vulnerable to ice as well as antipersonnel rounds.**_

"Mage splicer?" Jonouchi asked.

"…This is not good! A mage splicer like this one is a very powerful foe." Pegasus stated grimly. There was another noise coming from the wider space, so they quickly rushed out into the open. Just then red smoke materialized in the center of the team, and instantly the man, now revealed to be a fire mage splicer, came into view.

"And now to make you disappear! BURN BABY, BURN!!" With that he began launching fireballs. The others jumped, narrowly escaping the flames. Pegasus lifted his machine gun and fired back. The splicer vanished before the bullets could reach him, however, and soon reappeared behind the plasmid merchant.

"Pegasus! Watch out!!" Atem shouted, just when the fire mage initiated a bull rush as a human meteor. Pegasus barely had enough time to turn around before the impact. The attack sent him flying, and slammed to the ground in flames. Immediately, Pegasus performed the Stop-Drop-and Roll to douse the fire, and since there the city was moist with leaks, it was put out fairly easily. But that didn't mean he escaped without damage.

"URGH, I certainly didn't see that coming!" Pegasus growled.

"Then let's pull the curtains on this mage splicer before he does more damage!" Atem suggested, taking a fighter's stance. But no sooner than his friends took position than a mighty distorted roar announced itself. Right before their eyes a wall seemed to blast to pieces before a strange creature on four legs entered the fray. The creature resembled a monstrously deformed tiger; one half of its face looked ready to fall off even as it bared it razor sharp teeth, and patches of its skin were exposed as though the fur had been ripped off. Even its limbs were covered with tumors and weeping sores. The beast once more let out a mighty roar. "Mother of Ra…" Atem gasped in shock, "If this city wasn't sick enough, even wild animals are transformed into splicers!" That was when the splicer tiger pounced toward the Bolt wielder. Startled by its astounding speed, Atem made a run for it. Before his companions got a chance to chase after him and his pursuer, the fire mage unleashed another barrage of fireballs.

"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!!" the splicer roared as he did so, and the fireballs crashed in front of Jonouchi and the others. They stopped in their tracks and shielded themselves from the blaze, while the splicer tiger continued chasing the Bolt wielder in hot pursuit. On and on Atem ran, leaping over small bushes and ducking tree branches and yet he could not shake off the snarling monster. Finally he turned a corner behind a huge cherry blossom tree. The splicer tiger leaped after him, but when it entered the garden ahead it stopped; its prey was nowhere to be found. It let out a low growl and began to stalk the area, searching for Atem's scent. It passed by a dense cluster of bamboo. Quietly, Atem peeked out from the cluster from which he was hiding. Seeing that the spliced animal was stalking away from the area, he crept out and ran—in the other direction. Once he was sure the beast was out of his sight, he let out a sigh of relief.

"That was too close for comfort…" he muttered. "I didn't even get a chance to counterattack!" He reached for his Video Phone… and found that it wasn't in his person! _What?!_ he thought in shock, _My Video Phone! Damn it, I must have dropped it somewhere! And at a time I couldn't afford to!_ He looked around the unfamiliar territory, trying desperately to retrace his steps.

* * *

Meanwhile the fire mage splicer was literally cranking up the heat. Honda fired his pistol at the splicer and Mai shot her hand crossbow, all while dodging the flaming onslaught. Then Jonouchi stepped forward. "Let's see how you like being burned, you creep!" he shouted, channeling the power of his own Blaze, "SPINNING INFERNO!" With his Overdrive Ability activated he spun toward his opponent. But right at the last moment the splicer grabbed the blade of the flaming sword, using its heat to fuel his own fire! "What the?!" exclaimed the sandy blonde in utter shock. The next thing he knew, the fire mage began to spin himself—and Jonouchi, still gripping his blade, was spinning along with him! As the spinning went faster and faster, he had no choice but to hold on for dear life! Then at top speed, the splicer let go of the blade, flinging it and its wielder onto a massive trunk of a tree. The sandy blonde crashed onto the ground with a thud.

"Jonouchi! Are you okay?!" Honda shouted.

Jonouchi struggled to get to his knees. "I don't get it… my Spinning Inferno didn't work!"

"You idiot!" Mai exclaimed in annoyance, "Have you forgotten already?! Fire mage splicers are immune to fire! We need to use ice in order to take him down!"

Jonouchi slammed his fist on the ground in frustration. "Now it sinks into my head!"

"But we've got a problem…" Pegasus noted, "We don't have the Blizzard plasmid!"

"Great! Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place!" Jonouchi blurted, "WHERE'S REFRIGERATOR BOY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?!"

"I thought you'd never ask, Mutt!" shouted a familiar voice, "And don't call me 'Refrigerator Boy'!" Startled at first, Jonouchi looked up at the ceiling and growled. There was Kaiba, crab-walking with the help of his gauntlet blades and blade boots and looking down right at him. The others looked up in astonishment, even Pegasus.

"The Splicer Killer… Kaiba Boy!" Pegasus gasped.

"YOU!" the fire mage splicer roared, "You may have slaughtered my fellow Xibalbites, but you'll never destroy me! TAKE THIS!" With that, he launched his barrage of fireballs. But Kaiba just smirked. He dropped down before the barrage could make contact. Enraged, the splicer launched another attack. The Splicer Killer just swung his arms, letting the ice-coated gauntlet blades lengthen and strike the fireballs into harmless steam.

"Is that the best you can do?!" Kaiba taunted.

"Blast! Now you're in for it punk!" The fire mage bull rushed like a human meteor. Again, Kaiba just smirked. He unleashed his hail of ice spikes upon his enemy. Instantly, his foe was stuck in place, encased in a layer of ice. The blades of Kaiba's gauntlets sank back as the machines on his arms morphed them into drills. Then with drills whirling, he charged and struck the splicer's frozen form. Like a statue carved out of a block of ice, the enemy was shattered into thousands of pieces; all that remained was a flask of green liquid, which had dropped to the ground still intact. Once the scene settled down, the gauntlets returned to its original oval machine form.

The Splicer Killer turned around to face the team with a smirk. "We meet again."

"Unbelievable!" Pegasus gasped, limping towards the young warrior unexpectedly. "This is nothing less than incredible! Kaiba Boy, you were the first customer I ever had when I opened my first Gatherer's Garden store, but this? Even I never thought that the legendary Splicer Killer would be you!"

"Yeah, I'm the Splicer Killer." Kaiba replied bluntly, "Spare me the praise, Pegasus. I'm not doing this for the fun of it. Those monsters are just one of the reasons why I have to find my little brother and protect him; he's one of those Scavengers." Honda wasn't exactly paying too much attention to the exchange though, and he picked up the flask lying in the middle of the icy pile.

"A flask of chlorophyll solution?" Honda stated aloud, grabbing everyone's attention. "How the hell did it get here?"

Luckily, his aunt had the answer. "Ugh! Isn't there anything in this damn place those fanatics won't steal?! Among all things, it's paper towels, laptops, witch hazel, chlorophyll solution, even my back issues of National Geographic—and your pornography stash!"

"Aunt Julie!!!" Honda exclaimed, blushing with embarrassment.

"Hey, I keep tabs on everything that goes on around here, but that's beside the point. Those sick bastards must be lining up their shrines with all that stuff."

"I'm gonna need a little more info, Julie." Jonouchi replied, "Who are those 'sick bastards' you're referring to?"

"Oh, that?" Julie noted, "Around Arcadia, there's a large group of mage splicers that form this… cult. They dress up in leaves, furs, feathers and the occasional silk and gold, and call themselves the Xibalbite. Don't get me started! They drink the blood of humans and animals and chant things like 'Harness the Flame, Harness the Frost, Harness the Storm!' because they believe they are touched by some ancient jungle gods! Hah! The way I see them, they're an aging bunch of frat boys and sorority sisters, tilting back goblets of plasmids and calling it ambrosia!"

"Guess it's all the more reason to take those suckers down." Honda mused.

"Hey!" Jonouchi interrupted, "Where's Atem? That tiger monster was chasing him, and we would have chased after them if that splicer didn't hold us back."

"Let's give him a call then." Honda replied, "You don't mind, do you Aunt Julie?"

"Not at all." Julie replied, and canceled her call so her nephew could insert the code. To his surprise, the screen showed a view of a ceiling.

"Huh? That's funny." Honda noted, "Hey Atem! Atem?"

"Guys! Look!" Mai exclaimed in horror, pointing to the ground not so far away. The rest of the team turned to that direction, and their eyes were wide with shock.

There was Atem's Video Phone, lying among the grass.

"Oh no!" Pegasus gasped as Jonouchi picked it up.

"This is not good!" Jonouchi stated, "Without his Video Phone, Atem can't find his way around! He practically lost, and who knows what else is out there!"

"Then we've got to find him before the splicers do!" Honda exclaimed as he called back his aunt. Once she appeared on screen he shouted, "Aunt Julie, we need your radar! Atem dropped his Video Phone and now we can't find him!"

"What?! Oh, this is bad news… Okay! I'm getting the map and radar on right now!" Julie replied hastily, "Let's see… A-HA! There he is! Take a look at this map!" And the screen shifted to a map of Arcadia as she continued, "As you can see, this dot on the top part of the Tea Garden is Atem. And by the looks of it, he's heading in the direction toward a Gatherer's Garden shop close by. Apparently, a Big Daddy is also making his approach there."

"Big Daddy?!" Kaiba exclaimed, running to the screen and shoving Honda to the side. "Is there a Scavenger with him?!"

"Yes, I think so." Julie replied calmly.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Kaiba barked, grabbing Honda's Video Phone, "Let's get over there! NOW!"

As the others began to run, Jonouchi asked, "Hey, since when did you become the leader of this team?!"

Kaiba gave no reply. He just looked at the map, noting the direction Atem was heading. _If that Scavenger is Mokuba,_ he thought, _then that… Atem guy had better not harvest him for the Nagi! Otherwise… there will be Hell to pay!_ Then another thought suddenly came to him. _Atem… where have I heard this name before?_

* * *

There was nothing but the sound of crickets chirping in the grass… and the soft footsteps of a certain Bolt Wielder as he wandered the garden. "Can anybody hear me?!" Atem shouted. He was met with silence. "Jonouchi?! Honda?! Mai?! Pegasus?! Is anybody out there?!" Again, there was no answer. "Anybody?" By then his voice had grown softer. Everywhere he looked, there were bamboo shoots and several willows. Loneliness crept over him like a hateful spectre, as well as a tinge of fear. Atem clutched his arms. He hated being lonely. And he was worried. _It's like I'm going in circles… How am I going to get to my friends without my Video Phone?_ He thought to himself. _How long has it been since we got separated? Surely that Mage splicer didn't kill them, did they?_ Atem leaned back toward a wall. Something fell out of a small shelf and onto the ground by his feet, startling him. Looking down, he found that it was a video diary. Curious, he decided to play it out of hopes that it would wield some valuable information. When the diary began to play, the screen revealed a young man of African descent, dressed in a loosely fitted shirt and pants.

"_**Whew! What a night I got set up!**_" the man sighed blissfully, "_**Everything's ready. Flowers, red wine, some bling,**_"—the camera briefly shifted to reveal the contents before he poked his hand into view with some strips of decorated paper—"_**and even two tickets to the Tea Garden.**_" Quickly, the camera shifted back to the young man. "_**Nothin' gets the booties shaking like a night in Arcadia! Woo! Now I just gotta stop by the drug store and get some Nami serum, just to be safe. From what I heard, this ain't Monique's first time at the Tea Garden.**_"

Atem couldn't help but smile in amusement when the entry was over. "Even under the sea, some things never change." Suddenly, a loud whale call echoed in the garden, followed by a terrible stench that was by now all too familiar. It was quickly followed by… the voices of two children, both with distorted undertones. Immediately Atem followed the sound. Not far away from a Gatherer's Garden store, a Rosie lumbered to catch up with two Scavengers, one boy and one girl. As they spotted an 'angel' and rushed over with their gun-syringes at the ready Atem could tell that they were both African Americans around eight years old, and that they were brother and sister.

"Let me gather from the angel!" the sister squealed.

"No way! I found it first!" replied the brother as he plunged the gun-syringe up and down into the corpse. The Big Daddy bellowed softly and waved a finger as if lecturing the little Scavenger boy.

"You heard what Mr. Bubbles said! We need to share that angel." The Scavenger girl reminded.

Her brother pouted, "All right… You can stick your needle on that side of the angel's belly." The Scavenger girl cheered and joined in just as the boy began to consume the Nagi. Although slightly disgusted by the Scavengers' gathering ritual, Atem couldn't help but grow soft at the cute scene before him.

When the Scavenger girl swallowed her batch of Nagi, she and her brother began to move away, with their Hunter following close behind them. "Let's go Mr. Bubbles!" she replied.

"Yeah Bubbles, C'mon!" stated the boy, tugging on the Rosie's glove. "We still got some angels to find!"

Atem slowly followed, not keeping an eye off the threesome. "I need to rescue those two little Scavengers while I still have the chance. But I don't know if I can kill that Hunter on my own."

"This time, you won't have to." replied a sweet feminine voice. The Bolt wielder gasped in astonishment and turned around, recognizing the young woman's voice. Sure enough, there was the granddaughter of Tenenbaum standing before him with a smile on her face.

"Anzu!" Atem gasped.

"Hello again, Atem." Anzu replied kindly.

"Same to you! But what are you doing here, of all places?"

Anzu giggled and answered, "I want to help you! Even at the bottom of this dark ocean, you light a candle. Yugi and Mei Lin told me about your adventures in Dragon King's Bounty, and I figured that you'll be needing an extra set of hands."

"You really want to do this… for me?" asked Atem in astonishment.

"Of course!" Anzu replied, lifting a gun loaded with sharp darts and a weapon that resembled boomerang, "I may not look like it at first glance, but I'm a very capable fighter."

Atem smiled. "Thank you so much Anzu! I'm going to need all the help I can get!" He lifted his quarterstaff and turned around to face the Hunter. "Now, let's do this! Though I admit I'm reluctant to slay this noble guardian, we have to do it to save those Scavengers."

Again Anzu giggled. "Silly! We're not going to kill this Hunter! We won't have to!"

"We won't?" Asked Atem in confusion. Anzu simply stepped in front of him and held out her hand. Suddenly her skin became knobby, and parts of it bulged to the size of tennis balls before bursting open. Before he knew it, he was staring at an exact replica of Pegasus' Rage plasmid! The difference was that the globs of goo that burst out were a slimy green color. He recoiled in shocked disgust.

"Yep, I know what you're going to say and you're right. The Hunter Friendship plasmid makes me look gross." Anzu replied, glaring toward her body. But quickly her smile returned and she winked at the Bolt wielder. "But its power is worth using."

Atem recovered from the shock and noted, "So… I guess you must be a Plasmund too, right?" Anzu nodded. He asked, "How does this plasmid work?"

One green glob blasted out of its opening below her palm, and took the shape of a ball before landing neatly in her hand. "Watch and learn!" Staring ahead, she took aim and tossed it right on to the Rosie. The glob slammed onto the Big Daddy's back, and for a moment he stopped in his tracks. Startled and confused by this unexpected 'attack', he turned around to face Anzu and Atem.

"What's the matter Mr. Bubbles?" asked the girl Scavenger in concern. The Hunter bellowed and his two charges turned around to look.

"It's okay." Anzu replied in a soothing voice, "We won't hurt you." The Hunter lowered his rivet gun and let out a short moan of confusion. Even the two Scavenger siblings didn't know what to make of these people before them.

"T-T J… A-are those… monsters?" the girl asked, trembling a little.

"They don't look like monsters…" replied her brother T J. "What do you think Bubbles?" The Hunter just let out a soft moan in reply. The tone his voice had a tinge of uncertainty attached to it. He then lifted his gun at the two Plasmunds and bellowed, the yellow light flashing in his helmet as he took one step forward.

"Yes, I know. But please… listen." Anzu replied calmly, and again the Rosie lowered his gun. "We want to make sure your kids are safe, just as much as you do. We can help them. Just give us a chance." At first, the Big Daddy just stood there, unmoving. Suddenly the light in his helmet changed color, and he let out a kindly moan.

"The light!" Atem gasped, "It turned green!"

"Thank you Mr. Bubbles!" Anzu stated happily, hiding her plasmid. The Rosie moaned again. "Oh, what's that?" Anzu asked, "Beta? All right then, I'll call you Beta."

Atem turned toward the diplomatic protector in astonishment. "You understand what he's saying?"

"Hunters aren't exactly the brightest of guardians." Anzu explained, "But what they lack in intelligence, they make up for with a big heart. Hunter Friendship allows its wielder to communicate with Hunters and befriend them. Without this plasmid, a Big Daddy or Big Bertha would automatically assume that anyone around them is a potential threat."

"Fascinating." Atem mused.

"So you're saying they're friends Mr. Bubbles?" asked the girl. The Rosie, Beta, moaned in confirmation. "If you say so…" The yellow glow in her blank eyes turned green as she slowly stepped toward the two Plasmunds, though she was still a little scared. "H-Hello… I'm Amanda Andersdotter. This is my brother, T J." The Scavenger boy stepped forward to join his sister, and the yellow glow in his eyes also turned green. Anzu bent down and smiled.

"Well it's nice to meet you two." She replied with genuine kindness. "I'm Anzu Mazaki. This is my friend, Atem."

Atem composed himself and gave a small smile. "Hello." He greeted with a small wave of him hand.

"Do you like gathering from angels?" Anzu asked.

"No… not really." admitted T J.

"But we have to do this." added Amanda, "The people who put those icky slugs in our bellies… they said that good boys and girls gather Nagi so the slug could have something to eat."

"Oh really?" asked Anzu, "Well, I have little secret to share with you. You know how the monsters can kill you by taking the slug out of your bellies?" The two Scavengers nodded. "I happen to know a different way. We can take out the slug, and you'll still be alive!"

"You can?" Amanda gasped.

"But how?" asked T J.

"I'll show you." Anzu replied, "Ladies first!" She gently took Amanda by the hand. "Now hold still. Take a deep breath and relax. It will be over before you know it." Immediately Anzu's skin cracked with a white glow before she caressed the Scavenger girl's head, letting the glow spread.

Atem watched with amazement as the light enveloped the two. This teenage girl, the same young woman who gave him the Restoration plasmid, actually had the Restoration plasmid equipped herself! When the light finally faded, little Amanda had become an ordinary little girl once more, with skin the shade of light chocolate and hazel-brown eyes. At her feet was the rapture slug, with its line of orange eye patterns. She gasped in wonder as she looked at herself. "T J look at me! I look like me again!" she squealed in excitement.

"See? Now you won't have to gather from angels anymore." Anzu beamed.

"Thank you Miss Anzu, thank you!" Amanda cheered, giving the diplomatic protector a hug.

"Cool!" T J exclaimed, now all smiles, "Can it work for me too?"

Anzu giggled, "Of course! But I'm not the only one who can restore you. Atem, it's your turn." At the mention of his name, the Bolt wielder gave a look of surprise.

* * *

As he charged through the bamboo groves ahead of the team, Kaiba looked once more at the map and immediately noticed that several dots had gathered together in front of the store. _What's going on?_ He thought, _That Big Daddy symbol stopped moving, but it didn't disappear from the radar!_

"How close are we to the Gatherer's Garden?" Honda shouted.

"We're almost there!" Kaiba exclaimed, picking up the pace. _Hang in there Mokuba! I'm coming!_

* * *

"Are you sure you want me to rescue him?" Atem asked.

"Of course." Anzu replied.

"But you have the Restoration plasmid yourself." Atem noted, "Why do you need me?"

"Because most Scavengers in Kyoki already know about me. You're just a stranger to those who have yet to be rescued, and as such they are slow to trust you." She answered, "By using Restoration on a Scavenger, you're proving to them that you're not like the splicers. Go on ahead."

The Bolt wielder paused a bit, before he finally smiled. "All right. I'll do it."

At that very same moment, Kaiba arrived on the scene not far away. _Whew! Made it!_ he thought. It was then that he took a good look at the scene before him. _No, that's not Mokuba. But still, he's a Scavenger… and like all Scavengers, he deserves to live._ His blue eyes then fell upon the Bolt wielder, and inwardly he felt shivers race down his spine. _That guy over there… This must be that Atem guy the Mutt was talking about. I feel as though I've… met him before. But that can't be possible!_ Soon Atem stepped toward the little Scavenger boy. _Wait! What is he doing?!_ He bent down and reached out toward the child. Kaiba went into panic mode in a flash. "STOP! NO!" he exclaimed, charging forward just as the rest of the team arrived to the scene.

"What's going on?!" Jonouchi shouted. His question was answered when Atem immediately activated his Restoration plasmid. As the light enveloped the little boy, Kaiba stopped in his tracks, raising a hand over his eyes. Yet the expression of confusion was written all over his face. It was obvious to him that this young man wasn't ripping the slug out of the Scavenger's body. So what was he doing? He didn't have to wait long to answer, as the light faded as quickly as it came.

Atem couldn't help but smile as T J took a good look at himself. Like his sister, his skin had been restored to a light chocolate hue and blank green orbs became hazel brown irises. "Yippee!" cheered T J happily, jumping up and down even as his rescuer picked up the dead rapture slug. "I ain't a Scavenger no more!" Amanda squealed in delight and joined T J in the hopping dance. The dance ended quickly as the now ex-Scavenger approached the Bolt wielder. "Thank you Atem!"

"Heh, heh, no problem." Replied Atem, ruffling the boy's curly black hair. "Now you two hurry back to your hiding place. You never know when those monsters would come around." T J nodded and the two siblings sped toward the vent. The whole time, Kaiba watched the scene before him… and he was stunned, if not amazed! Here was a person who can extract Nagi from Scavengers without killing them!

"Way to go Atem!" Jonouchi cheered, rushing toward his childhood friend.

"Jonouchi!" Atem exclaimed joyfully as he received the hug. "Guys! You're all right!" The other Plasmunds stepped forward, all smiles.

"I'm just glad that splicer tiger didn't eat you!" Honda stated. "By the way, here's your Video Phone."

"Thank you Honda." Atem replied as he took back his machine. "I'll make sure I won't lose it again."

"Why, if it isn't Miss Anzu, granddaughter of Dr. Tenenbaum!" Pegasus greeted cheerfully, "Fancy meeting you in a place like this!"

"And you must be the reluctant plasmid merchant that Grandma told me about." Anzu replied politely, "How is that plasmid business doing anyway?"

"You…!" Kaiba gasped suddenly, and he practically lunged himself at Atem, surprising everyone. "How did you **do that**?! You… you made the Scavenger human again! You saved him! That was incredible!"

Atem stared dumbfounded at the young man before him even as his shoulders felt the cold of literally icy fingers. "Uh… and who might you be?"

"That's the Splicer Killer of Kyoki legend, Seto Kaiba." Mai replied.

"Better watch out," Jonouchi muttered sarcastically, "or he'll turn you into an ice sculpture."

"Shut up Mutt!" Kaiba barked, "At least I keep those splicers from tearing you limb from limb! You should be thankful!" The sandy blonde simply gave a glare in response. "So tell me… Atem, is it? How did you save them? What's your secret?" he asked the Bolt wielder.

"Well Kaiba…" Atem replied, "There's a plasmid that let's me rescue the Scavengers… the Restoration plasmid."

"Restoration?!" Kaiba gasped, "I've never heard of this plasmid before, but… after seeing it with my own eyes…W-where did you get such a thing?!"

"I gave it to him." Anzu replied, astonishing everyone but Atem.

"You?!" Honda gasped. "You're the one who gave Atem Restoration?!"

"Yeah," answered Anzu, "My Grandma developed it."

"That's right!" Pegasus mused in realization, "Yugi Boy told me and Atem all about it!"

Kaiba's amazement was as clear as daylight, and he stepped toward the diplomatic protector. "Do you have an extra dose of that plasmid? I need it!"

"Does that mean you'll help us rescue the Scavengers?" asked Anzu.

"There's one Scavenger in particular I want to save above all others, and that Scavenger is my brother Mokuba."

Anzu paused for a moment. "Then I'll contact my grandmother for some more Restoration plasmids. For now, why don't you come with us and help us out. With your reputation as a splicer killer, you certainly have the skills."

"Hmph, fine." Kaiba muttered, "As long as my brother gets rescued in the end, so be it." No sooner than he gave his answer that Beta let out his whale call, making Jonouchi jump. The others quickly turned around.

"AUGH! The Hunter's still alive!" exclaimed the sandy blonde. Kaiba glared at the Big Daddy and had his machines morph into gauntlets once more. The two blades shot out instantly and he was about to attack when Anzu sped right in front of him.

"Don't hurt him!" she exclaimed, "He's on our side!"

"Our side?" Kaiba asked in confusion.

Mai suddenly let out a gasp. "The light in this Big Daddy is green!" Beta emitted a friendly moan.

"You have my Hunter Friendship plasmid to thank for that." Anzu stated with a wink. Suddenly there was a mighty roar echoing in the hall. Everyone spun around in time to see a very familiar beast.

"Oh no!" Atem shouted, "It's that splicer tiger again!" Once again, the mutated animal leapt forward in attack mode. This time, the Bolt wielder stepped forward and stood his ground. "Not this time!" he bellowed, and he unleashed the power of his Bolt plasmid, immobilizing the splicer tiger with a stream of lightning. Lifting his quartersaff pipe, Atem leapt up to strike his adversary. But just as he was inches away from contact, the splicer tiger recovered and immediately swiped its claws across the Bolt wielder's stomach! Atem screamed in pain and collapsed, clutching his stomach as blood splattered upon the ground. The beast leapt up to pounce upon its prey, eager to deal the killing blow.

"ATEM!" Anzu and Jonouchi shouted in horror. Right at that moment, Beta bellowed in rage and this light in his helmet changed from green to blue. Before anyone else could react, he started shooting his rivet gun. Each bullet hit its mark on the mutant's deformed hide. Flinching, the splicer tiger backed away from its original target. With an angry roar amongst flying bullets, it leapt toward the Big Daddy, with unnaturally sharpened claws posed to slice though the thick fabric and metal. But Beta simply grabbed onto the distorted maw, lifted the splicer tiger into the air and slammed it into the ground in one fell swoop. Then he stepped on its head, crushing it into a bloody pulp and killing it instantly. Once everything calmed down, Beta's lights once more turned green.

"H-hey!" Kaiba stuttered, "That was _my_ shot!"

"Oh don't you worry Kaiba Boy," Pegasus reassured cheerfully, "There's always next time." Jonouchi ran over to his childhood friend, Nami serum in hand.

"You okay Buddy?" Jonouchi asked hastily as he proceeded with the injection.

Atem grunted, lifting his head in astonishment. "That Hunter… he saved me!"

Anzu simply smiled. "By saving the two Scavengers that he was protecting, we have earned his loyalty and friendship." She explained, "After all, any friend of a Scavenger is a friend of their Hunter."

"Fascinating! So that means he really is on our side!" Mai mused, her red lips curling into a playful smirk. Atem, now fully healed, stood up as Beta lumbered slowly toward him. The Rosie lifted a huge hand and moaned his whale call in a friendly tone.

"Well what do you know!" Honda stated, "I think he wants to shake hands!" Atem stared at the oversized glove ahead of him, then at the helmed head of the Rosie himself. Finally he smiled.

"Heh, I guess I owe you one… Beta." The Bolt wielder lifted up his own hand, and Beta practically grabbed hold of it and shook it hard in an enthusiastic manner. So much so that Atem's body was practically shaking up and down. But after the initial surprise, he just burst into joyous laughter.

When that was done, Jonouchi noted, "First a plasmid that turns Scavengers back to normal, now a plasmid that can help make friends with a Hunter… awesome! Hey Anzu, are those plasmids going to be set up at the Gatherer's Garden soon? How much Nagi are they gonna cost?"

"Actually, they won't be sold at a Gatherer's Garden." Anzu replied, "We don't want these plasmids to fall into the wrong hands. They are only available to those loyal to the Mermaid League."

"Mermaid League?" Atem asked.

"What's that?" Honda queried.

"We'll talk about that later." Pegasus suggested, "Right now, let's hurry onward to the Safehouse. Oh, by the way, take a look at the inventory in this Gatherer's Garden store before we make our departure." The team did look, and Jonouchi gasped.

"Hey! Look over there!" He pointed to a jar filled to the brim with a green liquid. Red and orange spots flickered in and out of the liquid, like a flame on a candle. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Oho, Jonouchi Boy!" Pegasus mused, "I see that the Human Torch gene tonic has grabbed your attention. With it, the power of your Blaze plasmid will be doubled. And because you're a Plasmund with one of the three powerful elemental plasmids, you'll gain another Overdrive Ability!"

"I'll take it!" Jonouchi blurted enthusiastically.

"Good! That'll be 80 Nagi!"

"I'll pay for you, Jonouchi." Atem replied, taking out his 'wallet' of 500 Nagi and giving it to the dolls. Once they measured the exact amount and converted it into the purchased gene tonic, the sandy blonde grabbed his prize in triumph.

"Aw yeah! Look out Mutou! Here comes the new and improved Jonouchi Katsuya!" he cheered.

Suddenly, there was a scream of rage coming from a distance.

"In any case, let's get to the Eden Safehouse before we run into any more trouble." Honda suggested hurriedly.

"Yeah, let's!" Mai agreed. She grabbed Jonouchi by the arm and took off running.

"H-HEY! WAIT! I WANNA TRY OUT MY NEW GENE TONIC!" complained the sandy blonde.

"You can try it tomorrow!" Atem shouted as he and the rest of the team rushed after them. And the Hunter Beta was not far behind them.

Note: As our heroes enter the Eden Safehouse, they meet the members of a semi-secret organization, and their leader is a surprisingly familiar face. Who are the agents of the Mermaid League? What is the Legendary Ace in the Hole that they speak of? And what do they know about Raiden? Find out in the next chapter of Plasmashock! Until next time!


	23. Chapter 23

Note: It took a while, but I got the new chapter finished! In the meantime, I just completed what turned out to be the first of my two-shot story: Rocking the Cairo Bazaar! Certain characters from that story will be making a guest appearance in Plasmashock starting with this chapter. Anyway, let's get on with it! Our heroes make it to the Eden Safehouse, where they meet the members of a semi-secret organization called the Mermaid League. Who exactly are they? And what is the truth about Raiden? Read and find out! Enjoy!

**Chapter 23: The Eden Safehouse**

"So how far are we from the Safehouse?" Jonouchi asked impatiently. The whole team had been traveling across Arcadia, guided by the very biologist who created its life-giving trees.

"Calm down Jonouchi." Honda replied, "We're almost there!"

"That's right." Julie added from her nephew's video phone, "According to my radar, the hall leading to the Eden Safehouse is just around the corner." Beta let out a frustrated moan in response, which Atem noticed immediately.

"Beta seems rather upset about it for some reason." he noted to Anzu.

"He is." Anzu explained, "Since they are shunned by the majority of Kyoki's remaining citizens, most Hunters like Beta are not allowed to enter the Safehouses."

"Is that so?" Atem asked in surprise.

"Sad but true." Answered Anzu, "For that reason, we'll have to leave him behind for tonight. The least he could do is keep watch for splicers until we get back."

Atem simply nodded before forging ahead. The team had just turned a corner, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed that there was a patch of color sticking out from behind a patch of vines. Out of curiosity, the Bolt wielder began to tug the vines away. The rustling of the leaves grabbed Jonouchi's attention, and he went over to his friend. "What's going on Atem?" he asked, "Did you find something?" Atem gave no reply and kept pulling away the vegetation. He gave a look of shocked surprise before he tugged the last vine.

On the wall was a poster half their size, but it was the contents of that poster that really stood out. "Look Jonouchi!" Atem gasped, "Isn't that Raiden on that poster?"

"Yeah… it is!" Jonouchi replied in astonishment. Indeed there was an image of their guide in a profile view, holding a rod in one hand and tipping his hat with the other. The caption on the bottom simply stated in bold letters:

_**Working Man, **_

_**War Hero… **_

_**Who is Raiden?**_

Atem and Jonouchi stared at the poster for a few seconds before the sandy blonde turned to the side—and did a double take. "Hey! There's another one over there!" Sure enough, there was another poster depicting the same thing. In fact, there were several of these posters on every wall.

"Now that you mention it," Atem noted, "They're all over the place."

The rest of the team noticed the two friends lagging behind, and it didn't take long for them to discover why. Honda approached them. "I take it this is your first time seeing those things." He stated, "They've been up for exactly seven years. Two months after the Shootout took place, Raiden made his first appearance through these posters. I was out playing in this very same grove when they were put up for all to see. The moment I saw him in that pose, I was blown away. For many years since then, I've looked upon him as a hero of sorts. But now, in the light of recent events… even I'm not sure if I can trust him."

Atem simply glared at the man in the poster. _I know exactly what you mean Honda._ he thought.

* * *

"Well, this is it." Julie announced once the team reached the entrance, "Eden Safehouse. You guys get some rest. Give me a call the next time you need me."

"All right Aunt Julie. Thanks." Honda replied. With that his Video Phone shut off.

"What are we waiting for?" Mai suggested, "Let's head on in!"

"I'm going to stay outside for tonight." Kaiba stated.

"But… but why?" Atem asked in surprise, "Don't you need to rest?"

"Even when I do stop at a safehouse to rest, I won't be able to rest easy." Kaiba reasoned, "Not as long as Mokuba is wandering the main city. And besides…"—he took out a buzzing cell phone, decorated with a white dragon—"… my partner needs my assistance."

"Your… partner?" Pegasus asked.

"Kisara." Answered Kaiba, flipping open his cell phone and scanning the text message that was upon it, "We've been friends for a long time so she often helps me out in the search for my brother. Since the start of the Kyoki Wars, I usually accompany her whenever her rapture slug needs to be fed."

"Rapture slug?" Jonouchi exclaimed in surprise, "You mean to say that girl hanging out with you back at Dragon King's Bounty-"

"That's right Mutt." Kaiba replied, "That girl you saw with me last time is Kisara, and yes, she is a Reaper." After sending a brief text message of acknowledgement to the sender, he closed his cell phone and began to walk away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to join her in her Nagi hunt. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Will you quit the 'Mutt' crap?" Jonouchi roared in fury.

"Leave it Jonouchi." Atem scolded.

"Beta," Anzu stated to the Big Daddy, "We'll be back tomorrow morning. Wait for us until then, okay?" The Hunter simply nodded emitting a sad whale moan, and lumbered close to entrance lifting his rivet gun in guard position.

"Shall we?" Pegasus asked. The rest of the team nodded and approached the door. The plasmid merchant took out a card and inserted it into the computer slot. "I always have this keycard in handy, in case no other resident is around to insert the code." Once the door opened, Atem and Jonouchi stared in awe. The scene before them was a thing of fantasy. It's just like Arcadia, but more… alive! There were songbirds of every climate singing to their heart's content among the branches. Some colorful birds even flew from one branch to another, adding to the beauty of the whole scene. From a distance they could hear the call of all sorts of other wild animals, like elephants, tigers, frogs, monkeys, you name it! But what amazed them the most were the houses of the refugees: they blended in so well with the trees that it's like the trees themselves are the houses!

"Whoa!" Jonouchi gasped, "Check it out Atem!"

"I know!" Atem agreed, "Compared to Arcadia, this Safehouse is a paradise just like its namesake!"

"It serves as a sanctuary for wildlife as well as a home for the refugees." Honda explained, "At its heart you'll find a park that is also a zoo—we call it Gaia's Forest, and it's a very popular destination around here."

"The Eden Safehouse is also the one place I go to shop for groceries." Mai added as Atem and Jonouchi both hid their plasmids.

"Groceries?" Atem asked in confusion.

"Follow me and you'll see what I mean." Answered Mai.

* * *

Under the guidance of the violet-eyed shutterbug, whole team traveled across the Safehouse until they reached a countryside setting. There were barns containing cows, chickens, goats, sheep, alpacas and pigs, and a bounty of crops carpeted the surrounding landscape under ultraviolet lighting that mimicked the sun under the sea. It wasn't long before they entered their intended destination: a marketplace displaying all the fresh organic goods on sale. There were stalls containing fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, beeswax, and other homegrown ingredients, and there were many farmers making business with their customers. "Cool!" Jonouchi exclaimed in excitement. "I didn't know that there's a Farmer's Market down here!"

"Before the Kyoki Wars began," Mai explained, "there was a similar Farmer's Market built in a separate location close by Arcadia. That Market has been long abandoned since the New Year's Attack took place."

Atem surveyed the stalls around him, until eventually he stopped in front of stall containing red delicious apples. "Howdy there Lad." Greeted the farmer holding out one of his fruits, "Would you like to try some of my apples? They're all homegrown from my personal orchard." The Bolt wielder stared at the apple for merely a few seconds before suddenly, it happened! In rapid succession, images of his home filled his head… the house, the barn, the rice paddies. Then it was over as quickly as it started! Atem clutched his head in pain and confusion. "Is something wrong Lad?" asked the farmer in concern. Right at that moment a horse tugging a cart full of hay was charging down the 'street' with no sign of stopping. Apparently, something had spooked it to the point that it was rushing at a dangerous speed. People rushed to avoid the stampede, screaming in horror.

"YAAH! Incoming!" Jonouchi shouted, and the team jumped and sped out of the way. Soon it became apparent that the spooked horse was speeding right toward one of the stalls—and that Atem was in the path! He was so caught up with his sudden flashback that at first he didn't notice the danger he was in!

"ATEM! LOOK OUT!" Anzu screamed. Snapping out of his confusion, the Bolt wielder spun around to find the horse charging towards him—and by then, it was too late for him to move out of the way! Suddenly he felt someone grab him, and in the blink of an eye he and that person were flying to the right. When they landed on the ground the horse passed by them and crashed into the stall, smashing produce and reducing the container to splinters before running off again. It didn't go far before a group of wranglers managed to stop it and once they calmed it down there was a sigh of relief among all the people involved. Once things settled down, it was then that Atem got a good look at the person who saved him. It appeared to be a young man just his age, his brown hair sticking out in messy spikes. A set of large goggles rested upon his head, and they gave him a mechanical biker look. So too do the black holed gloves on his hands and black elbow guards. He also donned a red sleeveless shirt decorated with buckles, along with shoulder pads decorated the same way. Blue jeans and knee-high boot completed the biker look. Blue-gray eyes peered down at Atem in frustration.

"Are you nuts? That horse was about to run you over and you just stood there like a fucking mulberry bush!" barked the young man, his voice giving away a strong accent hinting that he was born of Australian parents, "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Atem replied hastily, "I wasn't thinking…!"

"Varon!" Anzu exclaimed and she and the others ran toward the Bolt wielder. "Varon, thank God you came along!"

"Anzu!" replied the young man, Varon, in surprise, "What brought you here to the Eden Safehouse?" At that moment, Atem immediately saw something upon Varon's chest. It looked like some kind of platinum brooch, depicting a mermaid with her arms raised high above her head. In her hands was a large chain, broken in two by her sheer strength alone.

"That pin!" Atem gasped grabbing Varon's attention.

"What?" asked the Aussie in confusion.

"That pin!" Atem repeated, "I've seen it in Yugi's memory!"

Now it was Varon's turn to gasp in astonishment. "Hey, hold on! You're the bloke that Yugi was talking about, the one that looks just like him! W-what was your name? Atem?"

"…Yes. You got the right guy."

"Well it's an honor to meet you Atem!" Varon replied cheerfully, helping the Bolt wielder to his feet. "I've heard all about you and your adventures. The name's Varon, in case you haven't already heard from Anzu over here."

"Pleased to meet you too." Atem replied shaking hands, "And by the way you called out to Anzu, I take it you know her."

"He does," Anzu confirmed with a wink, "And for good reason too!" She lifted away a fold of her jacket, revealing a certain piece of jewelry she had hidden up to that point. Everyone in the team gasped in amazement.

"You have the same mermaid brooch Varon has!" Atem exclaimed.

"The mermaid depicted in this brooch is the symbol of the Mermaid League." Anzu stated.

"Mermaid League?" Jonouchi stated, "You said something about it earlier!"

Anzu giggled. "So I did!"

"Can you tell us about it now?" asked Honda.

"Since you've proven yourselves trustworthy, I'll be more than happy to!" replied the diplomatic protector, "The Mermaid League is a semi-secret organization dedicated to righteousness in Kyoki. Only the members of this organization are allowed to wear these brooches; they are the official badge of those members, who are called Mermaid Agents."

"So… since you're wearing that brooch, that means you're a Mermaid Agent right?" Jonouchi asked.

"That's right." Varon replied, "And as you can see, I'm also a Mermaid Agent. If you'd like, we can introduce you to some more of our members—and that includes the leader of the Mermaid League himself!"

"Why, I'd be delighted to." Pegasus answered, "but I'm afraid this meeting would have to wait." He lifted up his broken robot doll and grew teary eyed. "I need to find someone who can fix poor Blossom, and soon!"

"Oh, I can do that!" Varon suggested, "I may not look like much, but I'm very good when it comes to repairing Gatherer's Garden dolls like this one. You have my guarantee."

"Really?" gasped the plasmid merchant, "Oh thank you, thank you!"

"No problem mate. Now let's go everyone. We don't want to keep the others waiting."

As the team began to follow the Aussie, Atem immediately sensed the telepathic presence of another well-known friend. _I see you've finally met one of the Mermaid Agents here._

_Oh, hello Yugi! It's good to hear from you again._

_I know all about what just happened to you prior to your coming to this Safehouse. I saw it all through your mind's eye._

_I see._ Atem mused, _Where are you, by the way?_

_I'm here in the Eden Safehouse too._ Yugi replied, _I'm actually looking forward to seeing you again._

Atem simply smiled. _Me too._

* * *

From what the whole team could see, the whole tavern was like a mix between a Tiki bar and… well, a jungle playground. It added to the whole tropical rainforest theme, and in a good way. "Welcome to 'The Jungle'!" Varon announced.

"Nice atmosphere!" Mai complimented, "Maybe I'll get a few margaritas."

"Hey Everyone!" He shouted toward the bar, "We've got some company in the Eden Safehouse! They're in this tavern even as I speak! Come on over and say hello!" The response was almost immediate. One by one, five people from different parts of the tavern stopped whatever they were doing and stepped forward.

The first was a tall muscular man who looked fit to be a soldier. He had very short hair of a golden blonde hue, which seemed to have been swept back into spikes by the wind. What looked like sideburns stood on end across his cheeks and narrow blue eyes with gray undertones seemed to peer at the Aussie in question. Even his clothes had a military style to it, with a black form fitting tank top and gray baggy pants complete with army boots. He stood up from his place at the front of the bar, as did another person sitting by him.

This person was slimmer and more graceful, and could easily be mistaken for a woman from a distance. Upon closer inspection however, there were many subtle masculine traits. He had attractive turquoise gray eyes and his short magenta red hair was cut like a stylish feminine supermodel, reaching to the top of his neck and neatly combed. He had a light violet tank top so small it displayed his navel, adding to the illusion of femininity. He also had a cool looking black trenchcoat with long sleeves. The blue jeans with two belts and the biker boots also gave him the cool look, and as a finishing touch he wore his mermaid brooch like a pendant around his neck.

The third individual, who had just finished serving the dishes to another set of customers, was obviously female and a teenager. Her light brown skin hinted her African American roots, but she stood out of the crowd due to her deep blue eyes. Her long wavy turquoise hair had azure highlights and was put up in a high ponytail. She wore a light blue tube top, dark blue bellbottom jeans and platform boots. The puffy bands on her biceps even give her a bit of a sex appeal.

Finally the last two people, also teenagers, made an action-packed entrance as far as Atem was concerned. One petite young woman, who had swung on a vine to meet her companions, had deep green eyes and her long light green hair had several black tips. Hers was put up in a low braid. She had a dark green tank top, yellow green shorts and a pair of light gray army boots, along with elbow pads, knee pads, and holed gloves, revealing a coy tomboy attitude.

The young man following her, on the other hand, was dressed more like a punk. Although he also had studded biker gloves with holes, he wore a studded black leather vest over a plain white T-shirt, and black leather pants along with dark gray spiky biker boots that reached his knees. A dark red bandana capped his head but his spiky shoulder length hair could be seen tied to the back in a low ponytail. Strangely enough, it was split right in the middle when it comes to color, specifically red and black. He took a different approach on his entrance—he slid down a pole like an action hero firefighter.

Together, they all gathered around Varon, their mermaid broaches on full display. "Varon!" stated the muscular soldier, "Where have you been? You've never been this late before!"

"Sorry for the delay," Varon replied, "but you're not gonna believe who I just ran into on my way back!"

"Oh, wait! Don't tell me!" the tomboy stated in her excitement, "It's the company you're talking about right now, isn't it?" Of course, there were two guests that they all recognized immediately.

"Hey Anzu! What's up!" greeted the waitress cheerfully, giving the diplomatic protector a high five.

"I'm doing great!" Anzu replied, "I've managed to meet up with Yugi's new friends and with one of them I managed to rescue two more Scavengers before the day was over!"

"Really! That's wonderful!" the waitress stated.

"Hey, Mr. Crawford!" the tomboy greeted the plasmid merchant, "Fancy seeing you in a place like this! My friends and I have missed you since you left Fort Frolic years ago."

"If my departure from the artist's former haven has affected you, I sincerely apologize." Pegasus replied, "That said, I am delighted to see some of you in the flesh again. I'm already looking forward to a reunion with the rest of you as well!" The tomboy simply nodded.

The punk took a glance at Atem… and did a bit of a double take. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, "Yugi was right when he said you looked like him!"

"Hmm, now that I see you up close…" muttered the androgynous male in thought, "You do share a lot of traits with him."

"Well… it's an honor to meet you." Atem greeted, although he couldn't hide how nervous he felt. "I'm Atem Kakita." He then tugged Jonouchi to his side. "This is my friend, Jonouchi Katsuya."

"Uh, hi." Jonouchi replied, "Atem and I have been friends since we were little kids, you know?"

"Ah, I see. Good for you!" answered the muscular soldier with a smile now etched on his face.

"Allow me to do the introductions mate," Varon stated to the team, "They're only just a few of the Mermaid agents in this organization. Me and Anzu, you already know." He first stepped by the muscular soldier. "This strong man right here is Raphael. If any Mermaid Agent needs some extra muscle, he's the one they call." Raphael simply gave a confirming nod, before the Aussie turned his attention to the androgynous male. "And this one right by him, that's Amelda. He may look a little feminine but he's a bloke 100 percent."

"Could have easily fooled me from a distance." Honda admitted.

"The splicers feel the same way, even up close." Explained Amelda with a smirk.

"Moving right along…" Varon stated and he pointed to the waitress that had greeted Anzu. "The lass over there is Coral. No matter where you find her, she can whip up the best dishes anyone has ever eaten!"

"Nice to meet you!" greeted the girl, Coral.

"And last, but certainly not least," Varon announced and he sped toward the couple. He put a hand on the punk's shoulder. "That's Stephen,"—he then put his other hand on the shoulder of the tomboy—"and his main squeeze, Emily."

"Hey!" greeted Emily with a wink, holding her fingers out in a V for victory.

"What's up!" the punk, Stephen, greeted likewise.

"And… I suppose that's everyone?" Mai asked.

"Not exactly," Stephen answered, "The leader of the Mermaid League will be joining us too. And if I know him well enough, he'll be arriving any minute now."

He had barely finished his sentence when Emily looked up at one of the entrances at the top floor and let out a gasp. "Speak of the devil!" she exclaimed, pointing to the vine-covered hole, "Here he comes over there!" A hand soon parted the vines that made the makeshift curtain and a figure soon stepped into view. Atem and his companions stared in astonishment… except for Anzu, who simply smiled. As it turned out, the figure was actually a very familiar face. It was not long before the customers began to notice too, and they began to shout in elation.

"Look! It's Yugi!"

"The leader of the Mermaid League! He's here!"

The whole bar erupted into wild applause as Yugi traveled down the stairs to join his friends. A golden mermaid brooch was pinned on the fold of his jacket.

"Y-Yugi?" Atem stuttered.

Yugi just smiled at the Bolt wielder. "Surprised?"

"Well yeah." Jonouchi confessed, "We never thought you would be the leader of this organization!"

"And considering that you were already a household name in Kyoki, that kind of took some of us off guard." Stated Mai.

Yugi just laughed. "The Mermaid League isn't a semi-secret organization for nothing! Since you've spent a great deal outside the Safehouses, it comes as no surprise to me that you've never heard of us before."

"I guess in a place like Kyoki, it makes a lot of sense." Atem reasoned. Now it was his turn to smile and he shook the doppelganger's hand. "It's good to see you again, by the way."

"Same to you." Yugi replied, "Anyway, have a seat with me and the other Agents. I think it's time we get to know each other better."

"Great idea!" Jonouchi stated. "Thanks buddy!" And so each member of Atem's team gladly sat down at a pair of nearby tables, with seven Mermaid Agents joining them. Coral stood between the tables, picking up a circular tray.

"I'll go and bring you some of the strawberry glazed mochi cakes I've made earlier." She stated cheerfully, "Consider it my treat! And if you like, I'll even spice a few of them up with an Extra Nutrition gene tonic—that is, if you're compatible with the Adam."

Atem, Jonouchi, Honda and Mai all looked at the girl, then at each other before facing her again. No doubt there was confusion written all over their faces. "…Adam?" Atem asked.

"Well yeah, Adam." Coral replied, "You know, the substance that modifies your genetic code and gives you extraordinary powers? If you're compatible with it, that means you're a Plasmund."

"Oh!" Atem gasped as he and the others figured it out, "You mean Nagi!"

"That's exactly what I was talking about!" Coral stated.

"To clear up any confusion," Stephen explained, "it's the same substance. It just goes by two different names. Most people in Kyoki call it Nagi, but some—like Coral, Emily and myself—call it Adam. It depends on the taste of the individual. But no worries! Whatever you call it, we know exactly what you're talking about!"

"Ah, I understand now." Atem replied in satisfaction, before turning to the young cook. "I'd like my mochi with a dash of that Extra Nutrition gene tonic you speak of."

"Me too!" Jonouchi added hungrily.

"It's good to know that there are Plasmunds in this group." Replied Coral. "All right then, I'll be right back!"

"Stephen," Honda asked the punk in interest, "Since we're talking about Nagi, I can't help but wonder…are you Nagi compatible?"

"Sure am." Stephen answered with a wink, "I got my blood tested and it proved to me that I'm a Plasmund. Out of choice however, I don't use plasmids and gene tonics."

"I'd like to." Mai stated suddenly, "Does any of you have something that can test my compatibility?"

"I have," Emily answered, taking out a machine similar to the one used on Jonouchi and Atem, "And luckily one of the scientists here showed me how to use it. But let me ask you first, have you used any Adam related substance prior to this test?"

At first, Mai gave no answer. Then she replied thoughtfully, "Well… I don't know. I remember talking with the ghosts back at the Atlantis Fisheries…" She suddenly gasped in utter shock. "The Nami serum! It was created by taking a portion of Nagi and modified as a healing agent! When I got poisoned by that Brown Recluse, Honda injected a Nami anti-venom to neutralize it!" By now, she was in total panic mode. "Oh my God, this is horrible! If I'm not compatible, then there no doubt I'm on my way to becoming a splicer!"

"Calm down Miss Mai!" Pegasus reassured, "I clearly recall the ghosts back at the Fisheries noting that you are a Plasmund like the rest of us. Of course, even I don't know for sure so I hope they're right."

"Then let's get it over with!" Emily replied, taking out a syringe and drawing blood from the violet-eyed shutterbug. Once the sample was taken, it was put in a vial and set in the machine. After only 30 seconds of whirring and beeping, the test was finished. The tomboy took it out and smiled at the result. "Do you mind telling me your name?"

"Mai Kujaku." Was the reply.

"Well Mai, you don't have to worry anymore. The test came back positive for Adam compatibility, so you're officially a Plasmund!"

"Oh thank God!" Mai sighed in relief. "Maybe now I can get a plasmid of my own."

"How about we head back to that Gatherer's Garden shop in Arcadia, the same place I got my Human Torch gene tonic." Jonouchi suggested.

"I think you're on to something here!" Mai agreed. Right at that moment, Coral returned with plates filled with the long awaited rice cakes splashed with strawberry glaze.

"Here you go everybody!" she announced, "Mochi on the house! And for those of you in your twenties or older, I've even got some red wine and margaritas!"

"Nice!" Mai stated. As soon as Coral took her seat, the whole group began to dine on their rice cakes.

"Mmmm! These mochi cakes taste great!" Jonouchi complimented.

"Yeah! They're like five-star quality!" Honda agreed as he gobbled his mochi.

"I've always loved to cook since I was little." Coral replied, "A friend of my mother's taught me many recipes. I did a lot of improvising along the way."

"All right Pegasus," Varon stated to the plasmid merchant in question, "Let's have a look at your little Blossom." The rest of the group watched as Pegasus carefully placed Blossom in front of the Aussie, who immediately took out some tools from his knapsack. As soon as he unscrewed the little robot doll and opened the lid, springs popped out and a couple of sparks flew out. He peeked inside to check the circuits. "Hmmm, now that doesn't look good. Not to worry mate! The damage to the hard drive isn't severe, so fixing this little sweetheart will be a breeze." he noted, "There's a possibility that some of its data would be corrupted, but that's nothing an upgrade couldn't repair. Of course you'll have to go to the Benzaiten Safehouse to do that part, but that'll be for later." As Varon took out his screws and began the repairs, he asked, "By the way, how did she get to be such a big mess in the first place?"

It was Atem who answered that question, and he grew sad at the thought of it. "Blossom… was damaged by the force of the explosion in the smuggler's old hideout. That same explosion destroyed the evacuation submarine… and with it, Raiden's wife and child."

"Yeah… about that part." Yugi replied, grabbing everyone's attention. He paused before continuing. "I find it rather suspicious from the get-go that Raiden would claim that he had a family—especially since he never even had a wife and child to begin with!"

"What?" Honda exclaimed in shock. Atem, Jonouchi, Mai and Pegasus all stared in shock as well.

"But how do you know if that is true?" Atem asked.

"Simple." Answered Yugi. "My organization has hard evidence." He took out slips of paper and placed them on the table for all to see. "One of my fellow Mermaid Agents was able to hack into the Kyoki computers to get these official documents. And right here it says that Raiden is an eligible bachelor: There are no previous marriages of any kind, and definitely no children."

At first the team of five were speechless as they stared at the documents. The truth was right in front of their eyes, and it didn't take long for it to sink in. "I don't believe this!" Jonouchi gasped, growing a little more than angry. "All this talk about a wife and kid, and it turns out he's a virgin who's not even married!" There was a slight pause before the Bolt wielder also gave a response.

"So you really do know Raiden better than any of us!" Atem finally stated to the doppelganger. "And from whatever knowledge you have of him, you were right not to trust him!"

"Hey, hold on!" Mai interrupted, "I'm starting to get confused! We now know that Raiden lied to us about having a family, but how did Yugi find out about that lie in the first place?"

"He learned it from me." Atem answered, astonishing everyone. The Bolt wielder let out a sigh. "I suppose that means we have a confession to make. From the moment we met each other, Yugi and I seemed to have developed these telepathic powers that allowed us to communicate with our minds."

"And not just that," Yugi confessed, "It also seems that each of us can see things through the eyes and ears of the other. Whatever he sees, _**I**_ see. And whatever _**I**_ see, he sees. We could even see each other's memories the same way."

"Even when we separated, our new abilities persisted. Neither of us knew how we received these powers… but we have since learned how to control them. And even now, we continue to learn."

Everyone at the table listened with amazement. "Ah! So that explains why you were able to recognize our mermaid brooch Atem!" Varon reasoned with a playful smirk.

"And I guess that also explains the staring contest between the two of you right after we got our Black Widow photo!" Jonouchi noted.

"That's right Jonouchi." Yugi stated, "But apparently, Atem and I seemed to be the only ones who possessed the powers of telepathy. It's kind of a shame too, it could have been very useful for the purposes of the Mermaid League."

"Now… back to our main subject." Atem replied, becoming serious toward the eight Mermaid Agents. "Jonouchi and I had put our faith in Raiden ever since we arrived to Kyoki three days ago. But as time passed, even I couldn't help but question his actions." He turned toward his doppelganger. "Yugi, tell us what you know of this man."

"Gladly." Yugi replied in an equally serious tone. There was a slight pause before the League leader began. "Aside from some official documents like this one, not much is known about Raiden's personal life. In the past he often advertised himself as a liberator, a champion of the downtrodden, and a man who fights for justice. When the city fell into hard times, many residents of Kyoki viewed him in a highly favorable light. But he had an ulterior motive, a hidden agenda. And although we don't know exactly what he's planning, one thing's for sure: it's not good. After the September 12 Shootout when Dartz disappeared, Raiden took over the smuggling revenue. He did everything that Dartz had done in the past… and that includes transforming the majority of the incompatible lower class into splicers."

"So what you're saying is that Raiden is no different than his predecessor!" Jonouchi noted.

"That's right." Coral replied, "But he got much more influence on the public, and because of that he became the next archenemy of Ryu Mutou and the second powerhouse that ignited the Kyoki Wars."

"In fact," Yugi added, "it was Raiden who was ultimately responsible for the 2006 New Years Attack."

Atem and his companions let out a gasp of shock. But it was Pegasus who spoke up. "Of course… it's all clear now!"

"What do you mean?" asked Mai.

The plasmid merchant lowered his head as the memory swept over him. "Throughout the decades the Kashmir Restaurant had served as a staging area to welcome new residents to Kyoki. It was also the most popular destination for the 'who's who' of this society to eat and play in style. As you can see from my clothes, I was one of those upper class celebrities. And from my experience the city's New Year's celebrations were nothing less than legendary. Little did any of us know that the Kyoki Masquerade Ball of 2006 would become the most legendary of them all—and also the last. The celebration went into full swing soon after the clock struck midnight, welcoming the New Year with open arms. I was at one of the tables watching the dancers that had donned their animal masks. I was wearing my own bunny mask of course, but I didn't feel like joining the festivities. Instead, I had intended to drown my sorrow with glasses of red wine… three years before, I paid a visit to my true love in her Mercury Suites apartment only to find her naked mutilated corpse in the bathtub—she had been murdered while she was taking a bath! I had barely taken my first sip of wine, when suddenly it happened. There was a massive explosion and out of the hole came an entire mob of splicers. They had been streaming out of the poorhouses, filled with malice like I've never seen before. There were guns blazing, wrenches and swords flying and plasmids ripping flesh from bone. In a matter of minutes half of Kyoki's population was lying in a pool of blood. I was one of the lucky ones. The only injury I received"—he lifted his lock of lavender hair and pointed to the left side of his face—"was the loss of my left eye."

"Oh my God!" Emily gasped in horror as she, Stephen and Coral all looked at the golden artificial eye.

"Holy shit! Pegasus what the hell happened to you?" Stephen exclaimed.

"I had a run in with a spider splicer. With a single swing of her sickle she ripped my left eye right out of its socket, then crushed it under her heel like a grape as she fled. The pain of it all still haunts me in my nightmares. All the while, I heard the splicers shouting. For two years since I was unsure if I heard it right, but now I had no doubt as to what they said: **'Long live Raiden! Death to Mutou!'**" Upon hearing those words, Honda began to shake. His face showed it all, a mix of anger and sorrow.

"Why… that… sick MOTHERFUCKER!" He bellowed, "THE WHOLE TIME, I CALLED HIM A HERO! AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO KILLED MY PARENTS!" He buried his face in his arms, leaning down on the table, and he simply broke down. Raphael gently patted the Telekinesis wielder on the back to comfort him.

"There, there." he replied, "Many Mermaid Agents know exactly how you feel. They too had experienced the bitter taste of betrayal. Especially Amelda and myself." Honda slowly calmed down and after wiping his remaining tears he nodded.

"You may not believe this," Amelda explained, "But Varon, Raphael and I were once disciples of Raiden, a part of his inner circle in fact. After seeing the ugly truth with our own eyes however, we rejected him and joined forces with Yugi when he formed the Mermaid League."

"That's right mate." Varon stated even as he screwed some new circuits into Blossom, "Since then we wanted nothing to do with that bastard. For all I know, he might be the right hand man of Dartz himself!"

"Well, that theory might be more possible than you think Varon." Yugi noted, "Thanks to the telepathy I share with Atem, it is now confirmed that Dartz had indeed faked his own death and had gone into hiding."

"I'm not surprised that Dartz had an escape plan for the Shootout." Anzu stated, "But faking death isn't what came to my mind."

"No kidding." Stephen agreed.

"If it turns out that Dartz is the power behind Raiden's plans and if Raiden was indeed a follower of Dartz," Emily noted, "We need to find a way to stop them."

"You're probably right Emily." Yugi replied, "But we still don't know for sure. There's a chance that Raiden may be working for his own selfish gain. And right now he's at a major disadvantage in the Kyoki Wars, so for now he's not that much of a threat."

"So to whom does the Mermaid League swear their allegiance to?" Atem asked.

Anzu answered, "Only to the good people of Kyoki. Do you know why we refer to this civil war as the 'Kyoki Wars'?"

The Bolt Wielder blinked. "Now that you pointed it out… no, not really." He admitted.

"The Kyoki Wars is named for the fact that it is a series of civil wars that succeeded one after another for two and a half years." Yugi explained, "Right now we are in the midst of the third Kyoki War, which began with the near extinction of the Reapers."

"The Mermaid League was formed at the peak of the second Kyoki War about a year ago." Raphael added, "Neither Raiden nor Mutou knows the existence of this organization, which is a good thing on our part since our cause is considered 'antithetical' to both of theirs. Aside from lending our assistance to the needy, we also take part in missions involving espionage. Many Mermaid Agents served as double agents for both Raiden and Mutou. We fight on both sides of the war, but we fight for neither cause."

"Glad to hear that." Jonouchi piped up.

"In the past, we often strike down the army of one enemy on the outside while at the same time we sabotage the other enemy from within and it doesn't matter which side an Agent is hiding in." Anzu stated, "Our current goal, however, is as straightforward as it gets."

"And what exactly is that goal?" Mai asked.

"The assassination of Ryu Mutou!" Amelda answered, once again earning a gasp from the team of five.

"Really? That's our goal too!" Atem blurted. "Raiden gave us the task of killing him right after the explosion in the smuggler's hideout! We may have our doubts toward the man who guided us this far, but we clearly agree that Mutou must die to end his tyranny!"

"Whoa! So that mean we're actually on the same page!" Stephen commented. "Maybe we can help you out. We happen to know the key to taking him down: The Ace in the Hole!"

"Ace in the Hole?" Honda queried, "My aunt, Julie Langford, said something about that back at the Neptune Safehouse. What exactly is the Ace in the Hole?"

"It's an indestructible weapon of legend here in Kyoki." Coral answered, "No one knows what that weapon looks like. Some say it's a sword, others say it's a kind of gun. There are even some who say it's a powerful plasmid. But whatever it may be, its purpose is clear. It's the only thing that can successfully slay Ryu Mutou. Without it, all attempts at assassination are doomed to failure."

"Many Mermaid Agents, who posed as one of Raiden's sympathizers, had attempted to assassinate Mutou without the aid of the legendary Ace in the Hole." Anzu stated, "All of them failed, and their corpses now hang in his trophy room."

"If that's the case, then we need to find the Ace in the Hole before we face Mutou!" Atem declared.

"It may be a bit difficult." Yugi noted, "Since we don't know what the Ace in the Hole looks like, it's hard to discover its current whereabouts. But recently there are rumors that speculate that it rests somewhere in Fort Frolic. The fastest way to get there is through the main bathysphere located the Rolling Hills around Arcadia but-"

"If that's the fastest way to get there, then that's exactly where we're heading!" Atem interrupted, "The sooner we find that legendary weapon the sooner we can storm Mutou's castle!"

"All right." Yugi replied, "But if you're going to the main bathysphere, you'll have to let me come with you."

"I have no arguments about that Yugi." Atem stated with a wink, "After helping us back at Dragon King's Bounty, you're basically part of my team!"

"There we go! She's all fixed!" Varon piped out closing Blossom's lid.

"Oh Varon Boy!" Pegasus replied emotionally. "Thank you! You saved my dear Blossom!" Blossom's eyes were blissfully closed now and now looked as if she had never been damaged to begin with. Pegasus pulled back some of her hair and pressed the 'on' switch. Almost immediately she woke as if from a deep sleep.

The doll yawned and stated in a sleepy way, "I'm all better now!"

All at once, Pegasus was crying tears of joy. He picked up his beloved robot doll and held her close to his cheek. "Blossom! I thought I would never see you again!"

"Master!" Blossom squealed, embracing the plasmid merchant.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Mai cooed. "I've got to admit I was starting to miss that cutie pie."

"Putting this reunion aside," Honda stated, "Perhaps this will be a good time to take a look at the scan results she got of the sub."

"That's a great idea Honda Boy." Pegasus replied as they broke the hug. "We may now know that Raiden has no wife and child, but that doesn't necessarily mean the evacuation submarine was empty. There's still a good chance that there might be innocent people inside." He gently put Blossom down on the table and smiled at her. "Okay Blossom, time to go through a diagnostic. I want to see if everything's going well with you."

"Okie Dokie Master!" Blossom squeaked.

"So is your radar online?"

"Yep!"

"Your internet connectivity?"

"Yep!"

"The digital paint and canvas program?"

"Yep!"

"Good! And the scan results for the evacuation submarine?"

"Ye—uhhh…" Blossom stared blankly and sweatdropped before she grew sheepish. "I'm sorry. It's all messed up. All I can get from it are tiles of cheese and crackers. The same goes for your creative writer program and your entire collection of online videos and posters—all of which depict the lap dancer Jasmine Jolene and the pole dancer Orchid Otome."

Mai let out a gasp of shock and stared wide-eyed at the now blushing plasmid merchant. "Y-you… You're a fan of _them_? YOU PERVERT!"

"I-I-I'm sorry!" Pegasus stuttered, "I-I didn't mean for Blossom to say that out loud like this!"

"Well, I guess the 'cheese and crackers' means that the data is corrupted." Varon noted, ignoring the more personal details of the plasmid merchant's online stash. "But as I've said before, it's nothing that an upgrade wouldn't fix."

"So that means the content of the sub is still a mystery, right?" Jonouchi muttered.

"I'm afraid so." Honda sighed.

"Right now it doesn't matter." Atem reasoned, "What we need to do now is figure out a good strategy for tomorrow.

"Atem," Emily asked, "you said that you and your friends were tasked by Raiden to assassinate Mutou, correct?"

"That's correct." Confirmed Atem, "Raiden often contacts us on our Video Phone. Up to this point, he directs us to our next destination and gives us suggestions as to what to do in certain situations. He's the one who told us to head to the bathysphere in the Rolling Hills at Arcadia."

Yugi had a thoughtful look upon his face. "He may be untrustworthy, but from what I've heard I think he may be onto something. So I think our best strategy is to simply play along with his scheme… until we accomplish our current goal, that is."

"Great idea Yugi!" Jonouchi agreed.

"It's settled then!" Anzu stated, "We'll head on out first thing in the morning. For now though, let's enjoy our stay in the Eden Safehouse for as much as we can." The others nodded in agreement.

There was a mischievous glint in Yugi's eye and his lips curved into a playful smirk. "You know, that gives me an idea." He turned his attention to the punk and his girlfriend. "Stephen, Emily, while the rest of us hang out at the Farmer's Market why don't you take Atem and Anzu to Gaia's Forest so that they could get to know each other better."

The concerned parties looked at the League leader in confusion, but as Stephen and Emily turned toward the Bolt wielder and the diplomatic protector, they too gave a mischievous smirk. "Yeah… let's do that!" Stephen grabbed hold of Atem's hand, and Emily took hold of Anzu's.

"C'mon you two," Emily stated, "You'll love all the animals in this place!" The next thing they knew, the 'victims' were being dragged out of their seats toward the exit. Anzu bent her head down to hide her blushing face.

"H-HEY! WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT?" Atem shouted, his cheeks turning a deep pink.

"Oh nothing much." Yugi chuckled, "It's just that… well, you and Anzu seem to have a thing for each other. Now go on out and have fun!"

"W-WAIT! YUGI-" Atem began to protest, but they were soon out the door before he could finish. There was a rather bewildering silence at the table.

"Why did you do that Yugi?" Coral asked finally, "I thought you like Anzu. And as something more than a friend, I might add."

Yugi just laughed playfully and gave a wink. "I do."

Jonouchi and Honda stared at the League leader in confusion. "You're really in love with Anzu?" Honda asked.

"Uh-huh." Yugi answered.

"Then… why set my buddy up on a date with her?" Jonouchi queried.

"Well, I just have a feeling that Atem likes her too. I can see it in his eyes." Yugi chuckled, "Besides, I actually enjoy having him as a rival in romance. Anyway, let's see what the Farmer's Market has to offer before we head to Gaia's Forest ourselves!" With that, he sped back upstairs. His fellow Mermaid Agents and their new friends just stared and sweatdropped.

Varon pointed to the door as four words left his lips: "You call that rivalry?"

Note: In the next chapter, Atem and Anzu have a tender moment as memories are shared with each other. Meanwhile, Kaiba travels around the forest of Arcadia with his Reaper companion. Will they ever find Mokuba? Until Next Time!


	24. Chapter 24

Note: After taking a break from writing, I finally managed to get another chapter put up, another chapter in Plasmashock! I sure hope Master Rainwalker is reading this, because I miss him a lot! Anyway, it's time for some tender moments. And what does Raiden have to do with Kaiba? So enjoy reading!

**Chapter 24: Memories in the Green**

A peacock emitted his birdcall out in the open, showing off his tail feathers before flying off to another branch high in the canopy. Right at that moment, Stephen and Emily rushed in, with Atem and Anzu not far behind them. "Here we are! Gaia's Forest!" Stephen announced. The Bolt wielder couldn't help but stare in wonder. All around him there were wild animals roaming freely in large open-air habitats, each with a different ecosystem to suit each animal. There was a savannah with prides of regal lions and herds of mighty elephants, glacier environments with polar bears from the north and penguins from the south. There was an arid desert habitat for camels and cacti, a swampy wetland for crocodiles, and temperate forest climates for deer, foxes, even grizzly bears. There was even an aquarium built for rare exotic fish and porpoises. But the most prominent feature of Gaia's Forest was, of course, its vast rainforest. In fact, the whole park was a living jungle. Trees towered high above and beams of light mimicking the sun seeped from the canopy. Remarkably, all these ecosystems melded perfectly with each other; it was a quintessential Garden of Eden.

"Wow! This is it?" Atem asked, "It's incredible!"

"I told you it's amazing!" Emily replied with a wink, "Stephen and I would come here many times whenever we visit Arcadia." It wasn't long, though before the group heard giggles coming from all over the trees. Everyone looked around to find the source of that voice.

"Look guys!" Anzu finally gasped, pointing ahead. Right in front of them was a woman in a tattered dress. She was nearly transparent, confirming that she was a ghost.

"Oh!" the ghost woman greeted to Atem and Anzu, "Hello there! I've never seen you around here before. Are you new to Gaia's Forest?"

"Um, technically yes." Atem replied.

"Well then, you're in for a treat!" stated the ghost woman cheerfully, "I happen know the best spot for love in the woods!" She began to walk toward another pathway. "What are you waiting for, silly? It's beautiful!" With that, the ghost woman broke to a run.

"You heard her!" Stephen insisted, "Let's follow her!" Then he too broke into a run, and so did Emily.

The Bolt wielder and the diplomatic protector were hesitant at first, but they soon rushed after them until at last they reached a clearing. Just like the ghost woman said, it was the most beautiful tropical glade they had ever seen. The area was filled with mossy stones, and sweet smelling flowers of every climate. There was even a waterfall cascading into a clear clean pool. A few benches made to look like tree stumps dotted here and there, and on one of them sat another ghost, a man in a tattered shirt and pants. The ghost woman was with him, having just sat down to cuddle with him. "Well, it seems we got some new faces around these parts!" the ghost man chuckled.

Atem took a good look at the ghost man. His eyes widened in surprise. "Hey! I know you! You're the man in that video diary I watched, the one setting up a date in Arcadia. Your girlfriend goes by the name of… Monique, right?"

"Looks like that Plasmund knows about us, Frank." The ghost woman, presumed to be Monique, noted to her boyfriend. The ghost man, Frank, just gave a playful grin.

"Does it matter?" he asked

"I don't think so." Monique answered coyly and the two of them started kissing each other passionately.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt you or anything but… how did the two of you… well, die?" asked a dumbfounded Atem.

The two ghosts broke the kiss and frowned. "Oh, it was a dreadful experience!" Monique answered.

"And it was just when our date was getting into full swing too!" added Frank. "I mean, that thing came outta nowhere!"

"What thing?" Anzu asked.

Monique turned toward her boyfriend. "Should we show them Boo?"

"I don't see why not." replied Frank before he turned his attention to the four teenagers ahead on him. "You four come over here. It's better that you see this for yourself." Curious, Atem, Anzu, Stephen and Emily all stepped forward. The ghosts put their hands on each forehead and in an instant there was a flash of light. By now, Atem had gotten used to this strange experience. When the light faded, he and the others looked around.

"This is…!" he gasped in recognition, "This is the cherry blossom grove in Arcadia! But it's not as overgrown!"

"From the look of things, I'd say that this memory vision isn't that far in the past." Stephen noted.

Emily looked toward her right side. "Hey! There's Frank over there!" The others turned to see. Indeed there was Frank having set up his bouquet of roses, his red wine, and the jewelry. He had a much cleaner look about him.

"This must be the date setting that he was talking about on his video diary." Atem noted.

"Heads up!" Anzu stated, "Here comes his girlfriend." Monique made her arrival, her dress not so tattered. Frank had just finished his setup by the time she arrived

"Hey what's up baby!" greeted the past Frank. The two of them embraced. "Glad you made it to the Tea Garden!"

"It's all thanks to the ticket you gave me!" the past Monique replied. The foursome watched as the couple sat down and began to drink their glasses of wine.

"I heard that you spliced yourself up this evening." The past Frank noted.

The past Monique sashayed to a tree and did an improvisational pole dance. "Oh honey," she cooed, "I'm spliced up in way you've never dreamed of!"

Her boyfriend took her hand. "Get over here!" he chuckled as he pulled her to his side. The two of them laughed in their embrace and started kissing even more passionately. Right when they started undressing, a monstrous creature began to lumber from the bushes. It looked like a grizzly bear, but its face was twisted in distortion. Like the splicer tiger, this beast's fur seemed to have been ripped away in large patches, exposing skin and even bloody muscles. On some parts of its body it was covered with clusters of ugly tumors. It emitted a bloodthirsty roar, but the couple was so busy arousing themselves that they never noticed the danger until it leapt upon them. The moment the monster began to maul its prey, the memory vision ended. In a flash of light, Atem, Anzu, Stephen and Emily were all back in the present.

"Whoa! That's definitely not how I want my date to end!" Emily stated.

"Yeah, it certainly 'killed' the moment. No pun intended." Frank agreed, and he wrapped his arms around his sweetheart. "But you know what? It don't matter now. 'Cause in the end, we still have each other. Isn't that right, Sugar Baby?"

"You got that right Frankie!" Monique replied, and once more the two ghost lovers began to make out on the bench. Needless to say, Atem and Anzu were even more dumbfounded by the scene.

"Just ignore those two." Stephen stated to Atem and Anzu. "They deserve their time together after all that's happened to them. Anyway, there's a nice place under the shade of that tree over there. You guys can sit and chat, and maybe get to know each other a little more."

"But what are you guys gonna do?" Anzu asked.

"Oh, Stephen and I are going to head over to the Monkey's Playground and swing in the trees—like we usually do when we visit Gaia's Forest." Emily answered, and she took her boyfriend by the arm. "Let's go!"

"Have fun you guys!" Stephen called as he and Emily made their departure. When the punk and the tomboy were gone, the Bolt wielder and the diplomatic protector found themselves staring at each other. And they blushed.

"Well… uhhh, okay." Atem stammered nervously, "L-let's have a seat."

"Y-yeah." Anzu likewise stuttered. The two of them stepped over to a bench in the shade of a great tree. The Bolt wielder let Anzu take her seat first, before sitting down beside her on her right hand side. At first, neither party said a single word. They just sat and surveyed the forest around them. Exotic birds glided across the branches, like colorful parrots and hummingbirds, and large butterflies fluttered over great flowers. Frogs croaked in harmony with the singing of birds. "It's… beautiful isn't it?" Anzu noted, breaking the uneasy silence.

"…Yes, it is." Atem replied.

Anzu paused for a moment. "You came from the surface, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"As you have figured out by now, I was born here in Kyoki. And like most people born in Kyoki, I've never been to the surface before. You see… to further ensure the secrecy of this place, Mutou made it forbidden for anyone to leave. That law has been harshly enforced with the Death Penalty from the War of Smugglers to the present day; few individuals have ever attempted to go outside the city and live. The smugglers are among those few, but even they must go in secret for fear of execution. Now that this 'Utopia' has become a living Hell, there are many like myself that want nothing less than to leave Kyoki forever. That's another reason why I love the Mermaid League, because they really give us hope: Ever since its foundation, this organization has a dream to lead an exodus to the surface when Mutou, Raiden and Dartz are all overthrown. After today, I'm even more certain that this dream will come true! So with that in mind, what's it like up there?"

Atem blinked twice before he composed himself and answered, "Well… it's certainly much brighter than it is down here."

"Was it big?"

"…Yes. Bigger than you can imagine. There are cities, but they are not cut off from the rest of the world. Aside from the ocean view, there are hills and valleys, forests and deserts, grasslands and even farmland as far as the eye can see! In fact, I grew up on a rice farm myself!"

"Really?" Just then, a spider monkey came down and sat on the branch above them. It let out its cute little call, causing them to look up.

Atem laughed and greeted, "Hi to you too!" Again, the monkey called, nodding its head up and down as if greeting them back.

"Do you like animals?" Anzu asked.

"Like them?" Atem answered, "I love them!"

"Me too!" The monkey jumped down onto Atem's shoulder. Anzu giggled. "Atem, I think this monkey likes you."

"You think? Well there's a couple of birds that seem to like you too." Sure enough, a pair of brightly colored songbirds had perched on Anzu's shoulder and when she saw them, she giggled. Her giggles became joyful laughter as one of the birds flew up and perched on her hand. Atem laughed as well, handing a piece of nearby fruit to the monkey, which climbed back onto the branch. The birds also made their departure, singing along the way.

"Ha ha, it brings back so many memories!" Anzu squealed.

"Memories?" Atem asked as the diplomatic protector's laughter subsided, "I don't exactly know what you mean, so would you mind telling me about it?"

Anzu smiled, although… there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She paused for a moment before she began. "From the moment I was born, I was surrounded by laboratories and mechanical devices. My mother and my Grandma both worked as scientists in Orichalcos Futuristics. Mother had a very hard time accepting me, so Grandma Tenenbaum would care for me along with many Scavengers. In fact most of my childhood friends were Scavengers, and maybe even a Reaper or two." Again she paused momentarily. "But there was one child in particular that stood out from the rest: a boy who was one of the few children that did not get converted into a Scavenger. I don't remember his name, and the memory of what he looked like was vague at best, but he was my dearest friend. I rarely get to see him for a full day or two; most of the time, I often see him at night before we go to bed. We would talk with each other, play a few games, and even listen to the bedtime stories that Grandma would read us. Grandma spent a lot of time with him too. She loved him as if he was her own son." She gave a joyful smile. "When I do get to see him for a full day, we would always make the best of it! One of my favorite memories was our first trip to Arcadia! We were both five years old then, and Arcadia was more like the Eden Safehouse. I admit, the experience wasn't pleasant at first. The minute we came there, I looked all around… and I grew very scared. My friend, on the other hand, started screaming. He screamed, 'Grandma! Grandma!' and Grandma came, my mother too. They looked so worried, they thought he was having some kind of a seizure. But then he screamed, 'What's that Grandma Tenenbaum? What's that?' And then they looked around, and it was as if something dawned on them. Mother smiled and said, 'Why, those are trees!' 'Trees?' we said and Grandma said 'Yes Child, trees!' Turned out we've never seen trees before, so we though they were a strange kind of monster. After that, everything went wonderfully. We climbed just about every tree we could find, and we would go and see the animals. It was the happiest day of my life, because it was also the day my mother finally accepted me." She let out a sigh. "The next day Dr. Suchong summoned my mother, and me also, and ordered her to imbed the rapture slug into my stomach and convert me into a Scavenger. But she didn't do it. Instead, when no one was looking, she sent me back to Grandma. Later that day, Dr. Suchong discovered that she had deceived him… and he killed her soon after."

"Oh… that's terrible." Atem replied in sympathy.

"After that Grandma did her very best to protect me. She would hide me whenever any of the scientists would come over, but other than that I was able to move on and continue with my life. After all, even though I lost my mother I still had my best friend. We were very happy together." It was then that Anzu grew sad. "Then, the day before he turned ten, something terrible happened. You see, throughout his life he was the subject of many cruel experiments, and as we grew older he became the target of bullies. I happened to find him as he was forced to go through a particularly horrible experiment. I didn't know he was forced to do such a thing. So afterward I lashed out at him, going as far as to sever our ties of friendship. It wasn't until much later at night that I realized the truth, but by the time I went to his room to apologize, he was already taken." The tears began to flow at the thought of the whole thing. "When Grandma told me about it, I rushed out to find him, not caring about my own safety. I finally tracked him down at Dragon King's Bounty… he was unconscious in a bathysphere, and a man was carrying him. But by the time I reached him it was already too late! The bathysphere shut tight and it sank into the water. A-and I could only watch from the glass window as it rose up toward the surface…" Anzu just broke down right then and there. "And I never saw him again!" she sobbed, "I never got a chance to say I'm sorry, or even say goodbye!" Atem looked upon the diplomatic protector as she cried, and he couldn't help but feel sympathy for her. "He was my best friend, and it's because of me that he got taken away! It's because of me that he's gone! It's all my fault!" she finally whimpered.

Atem wrapped his arm around her, causing her to look up at him and blush. "It's not your fault Anzu." He reassured, "You didn't know what was happening to your friend. I don't why, but I'm sure that he'll somehow come back to you someday."

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

"But what if he-"

"Don't worry. I'm sure he will forgive you. After all, you are his friend. And who knows? He might join your cause and help you rescue the Scavengers."

Anzu sniffed and wiped away her tears. The smile returned to her face. "Thank you Atem."

_Oh Anzu…_ he thought, _how I love to see you smile. Wait! Where did that come from?_

_Heh heh heh, I heard that!_

_Yugi!_

Yugi just chuckled in their mind link _Hey, I don't blame you! Truth is, I love her for her smile too—whoops!_

Atem paused in surprise as he realized what he just heard telepathically. _Heeey, WAIT A MINUTE! You're in love with Anzu aren't you?_

_URK! N-now what gave you that idea?_

_Quit denying it Yugi! If you love her that much, why not go on a date with her yourself?_

_Well, it's obvious isn't it? C'mon, admit it! You're starting to have feelings for her!_

An astonished Atem gave no reply. He just blushed.

Yugi smirked through their telepathy. _I'll leave you two alone right now. Have fun!_ And the Bolt wielder felt his doppelganger's departure from his mind, leaving him to stare into the eyes of the girl before him.

"That was Yugi through your telepathy, wasn't it?" Asked Anzu.

"Yes, it was." Atem growled in frustration. Still, he couldn't stay mad at him for long, and that he can admit.

"You know, Atem," Anzu replied, "even when you're not with each other, I can tell you and Yugi have a lot in common. True, I never met him in person until last year, but he's a really great guy. Come to think of it, the same thought just filled my mind with you as it did it Yugi when I first met him. When I see the kindness in your eyes… you remind me of that boy, the friend I used to know." Suddenly, Atem clutched his head as an image filled his mind. This time it was a forested area and a little girl game into view, climbing one of the branches. The little girl seemed to be facing him, talking to him.

"**C'mon! Let's go higher! Then we can see everything!"**

Again, there was the murmur of a child, and he could see a tiny arm reach out to cling another branch. There was laughter between them as they climbed the tree. Then just as quickly as it came, the image was gone.

"Atem?" Anzu asked in concern. "What's wrong?"

Again, Atem tried to remember what he had seen and heard. But again to his dismay, he could remember nothing. All he could recall was the strange feeling that there was something…familiar about Anzu. He lowered his hand. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

* * *

Outside in Arcadia, the air held an eerie silence broken only by crickets, and the occasional owl. A dead leaf from among the green fell from its branch and floated to the ground—only to be stepped on by the passing Splicer Killer. Kaiba cautiously surveyed his surroundings as he walked, keeping his gauntlet machines and his Blizzard plasmid on the ready. Finally, he looked ahead of him. There was a larger version of the Scavenger's 'hiding place', large enough to fit a teenager. The hole was slightly above his head. "Ah! There it is!" he stated, and he stepped toward the tunnel opening. In the same manner of Hunters, the Splicer Killer looked around for immediate danger. When he saw that there was none, he knocked. "Hello? Kisara?" There was a clamoring sound coming from the hole. Soon, a voice with a distorted overtone spoke out to him.

"Kaiba? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Kaiba answered, "I'm here!" Again, there was a clamoring sound. It was not long before a certain Reaper with glowing blue blank eyes and long blue-white hair crawled out into the open.

"It's about time you came." She stated, lifting her shotgun-syringe to her side. "I've been waiting here for hours!"

"Sorry it took so long." Kaiba replied, "Since there's only one Reaper Tunnel for every given section of this crumbling city, it was easy to locate you. But actually getting to this location is such an inconvenience. Anyway, you ready to hunt for some Nagi?"

"Are you kidding me? My slug is getting agitated right now since he needs his food! I'm more than ready!" Smiling in satisfaction Kaiba reached out to help his companion climb out and set her on the ground beside her. "Thanks Kaiba."

"My pleasure. Now let's go find some 'angels'."

A few hours passed, and the pair wandered the groves of an overgrown jungle area. Kisara's stomach suddenly began to jerk a bit. She clutched it tightly. "My slug…"

"Just hang in there for a little longer." Kaiba reassured. Just then there was a scream from down the hall: A terrified scream of a small child. "A Scavenger!" Kaiba gasped, "C'mon! We got to get to him fast! For all I know, it might be Mokuba!" Immediately the pair began to run.

They had just made their approach to the shoji screen when Kisara shouted, "The air's too quiet." The Splicer Killer gave no answer and slid open the screen. In a far distance, there was a figure of a teenage boy obscured by shadows. He was crouching in front of something small; whatever it might be, it was obvious that he was feasting on it. Soon, the figure threw down the bloody remains of what was once a tiny beating heart. Kaiba's fury knew no bounds.

"HEY!" he bellowed, "GET AWAY FROM THERE!" He shot out his ice spikes using the power of his Blizzard plasmid. Apparently the figure got the warning, and when he saw his attacker he cursed under his breath and sped away, dodging the spikes as he fled.

"Damn it!" Kaiba cursed likewise and once the attacker was gone, he and his Reaper companion sped toward the object for a better look at what the mysterious figure was feasting on. The eyes of both travelers widened in shock.

It was the mangled corpse of a small boy, no older than seven. His chest was ripped open in a bloody mess, revealing a pair of torn lungs and an empty cavity where his heart used to be. The face of the corpse was etched with fear. Not so far away was the rapture slug, with no orange eye stripe patterns. Though it was still wriggling on the ground, it was apparent that it had already been drained of its Nagi.

"Oh my God!" Kaiba gasped, bending down.

"Another victim of a brutal harvestation!" Kisara noted, "This is not the work of a splicer."

"Then who could have done this?"

"I don't know. I'm just glad that this boy is not Mokuba."

Kaiba let out a long sigh. He knew by examining the corpse that his Reaper was right, and that gave him a sense of relief… at least for the time being. Still, he couldn't help but feel great sorrow for a life so cruelly torn to shreds. "I can only hope the same thing doesn't happen to my brother—if it hasn't happened already." He stood up. "Let's go. We still need to feed your slug."

"Oh, that's no problem." Kisara stated, "Look over there." Sure enough, lying near a tree in a distance from where they stood, there was a fresh corpse waiting to yield its prize. The Reaper didn't hesitate to speed toward the corpse in question and she knelt down, thrusting her shotgun-syringe into the chest. Kaiba stood by to watch, in case a hated splicer should happen to come along. "You miss your brother, don't you?" Kisara asked.

"Yeah, I do." Kaiba admitted.

"I miss him too." Kisara sighed.

"… Out of all the members of our family, Mokuba is the only one I actually care about. Our mother died when he was born, and even before that, our father never really showed us any kindness. But you already know that."

"Mokuba cares about you too. He always looked upon you as his protector and role model."

"Protector?" Kaiba queried, and he let out a short bitter laugh. "Heh, some protector _**I**_ turned out to be. I couldn't even stop that monster I call Father from converting my little brother into a blood-drinking Scavenger! And now he can hardly recognize me!" The Splicer Killer was in tears as he spoke.

"Don't blame yourself Seto." Kisara reassured, "You were just as much a victim as he was: you were the main subject of your father's science experiments after all."

Kaiba nodded. "Yeah… so I was. For seven years since the 2002 Shootout, my life was total hell. There were many occasions when I would run away with Mokuba. It was in those days that we met you, Kisara. Even today, I am very grateful that you came into our lives. You were the heaven in our hell, and you made our lives worth living… maybe that's why I'm falling in love with you."

Kisara looked up from her gathering and stared in amazement. "Do you… really see me… as more than a friend?"

Kaiba blushed in an awkward silence before he finally answered, "Yeah. The truth is, I didn't really know how much you mean to me until you became a Reaper and put your life on the line. I love you Kisara."

"Oh, S-Seto!" Kisara gasped as Kaiba knelt down. "I don't know what to say!"

The Splicer Killer's lips formed into a smile. He stroked her warm cheek and combed his icy fingers through her long hair; she shivered from his literally cold touch, and not in a bad way. "Then you don't have to answer right now." The tender moment was rudely interrupted by the jerking in the Reaper's stomach, much to the frustration of the pair. "Maybe you should go ahead and give the slug its food."

"Good idea." Kisara replied quickly. She thrust her shotgun-syringe until it was full. Then, standing up, she uncapped the top and tilted it back, swallowing the Nagi.

"On the day Father was slain by the drill of a Bouncer, I couldn't help but rejoice." Kaiba stated, "Unfortunately, the triumph was short-lived because the Hunters are still being created without his help. Now the only family I have left is wandering the empty streets, under the watchful eyes of a Bouncer. Ever since the Kyoki Wars started, I would do nothing but worry. And even when I find him alive and well, all I could do is keep the splicers from laying their filthy mutated hands on them." The Splicer Killer smiled. "But now, all that is about to change."

Suddenly, just as the Reaper had finished her 'glass', a woman's voice screamed from behind another screen. "Xibalbite! RUN!"

"Did you hear that?" Kisara shouted.

"Splicer!" Kaiba growled. Immediately, the two of them rushed over as fast as they could. They had opened the screen just when the screaming woman, an ordinary non-splicer dressed in a tattered and bloody business outfit, came into their view.

"THEY'RE COMING!" the woman screamed. Sadly, it turned out to be the last words she would ever say. A bolt of lightning struck her from behind followed by a fireball, and she instantly fell to the ground dead. Soon two hideous splicers, a male and a female, came into view. They were dressed in tattered casual clothes, decorated with multicolored feathers arranged in a style reminiscent of Mayan priests… and of course they covered their distorted, bloodied faces with crude wooden masks.

"Stay down Traitor!" shouted the female, glowing with the Blaze plasmid.

"This is our place! OURS! DON'T YOU FORGET IT!" bellowed the male as he shook his Bolt infused fist. Then just as quickly, the two vanished in clouds of red and gray smoke and sped by the Splicer Killer and his companion in their hasty retreat.

"UGH!" Kaiba growled in rage as he and Kisara entered the room near the charred corpse, "If there's one thing I hate more than splicers, it's splicer cultists!"

Suddenly, there was a whale call echoing in the halls, followed by a horrible stench in the air. Though initially startled, the two of them quickly composed themselves and began to look around. A Hunter was in the area, and when there's a Hunter, there's possibly a Scavenger. Hopefully, that Scavenger was the one they were looking for. Finally Kisara peered down toward the room nearby. "Seto! Over there!" She sped toward the room, and Kaiba followed. There on the other side was a Bouncer, and with him—as expected—was a Scavenger, who was just finishing gathering Nagi from a corpse. But not just any Scavenger: This one was a ten-year-old boy, with black shoulder-length hair, a long-sleeved shirt with azure and navy blue stripes complete with a yellow outdoor vest, blue jeans with a hole on the knee and blue sneakers that were wearing out. Kaiba recognized the boy instantly.

"Mokuba!" he gasped, "Thank God he's still all right!"

"C'mon Bubbles!" Mokuba replied to his Big Daddy, "Time to head back!" The Hunter moaned his whale call with a nod in agreement. They had just started moving away, however, when suddenly there was a loud noise similar to that of a rampaging elephant. The Splicer Killer and the Reaper also looked in the direction of the noise. Almost immediately, several trees were uprooted as a monstrous beast charged through. Indeed, it looked like an African elephant. But there were open sores and tufts of hair on its body, some surrounding a cluster of tumors. The right foreleg and the left back leg were swollen out of proportion, and one of its large ears was missing. And to top it off, it seemed to have grown an extra tusk near the trunk. The splicer elephant bellowed in a bloodlust not found among its normal kin. It charged ahead.

"MOVE! NOW!" Kaiba exclaimed, pushing his companion out of the way of the rampage. Upon landing on the ground however, he looked up to see where the monster was heading. "MOKUBA!" he cried fearfully. The Scavenger that was his little brother stood in front of his Hunter, frozen in fear. The Big Daddy bellowed in fury, picked up his charge and put him onto his hunched shoulders. Soon the yellow light in the helmet turned red, as did the blank glow in Mokuba's eyes. Reassured by his guardian, the boy glared.

"You're right Bubbles!" he shouted, "I shouldn't be afraid of that thing when I have you with me! Let's get 'em!" And with another angry whale call the Bouncer charged toward the splicer elephant, his drill whirling in top speed. Then he leapt up, aiming for the head. But just before the drill made contact, the beast thrust its head against the Hunter and knocked him to the side. The pair separated on impact and tumbled on the ground, the grass somehow cushioning their fall. The Hunter rose up to his feet and after composing himself he charged at the beast again. This time, his drill struck at the swollen foreleg, puncturing a hole and spraying blood in the process. "BUBBLES! LOOK OUT!" shouted Mokuba. The Scavenger had good reason for that warning. The splicer elephant grabbed onto the Big Daddy by the ankle with its super strong trunk, and once he was off the ground it swung him around and tossed him in the air. The Bouncer slammed into a tree before he plummeted to the ground, battered and bruised. Just as he was trying to stand up and get back in action, the monster began to charge at him again.

"If that Big Daddy gets killed now, Mokuba would be harvested by splicers for sure!" Kisara exclaimed.

"Not if we can help it!" Kaiba shouted in determination. And with that, he unleashed the ice spikes of his Blizzard plasmid. The plasmid did its work and froze the splicer elephant on the spot. Once the machines transformed into his blade gauntlets, he sped toward his target and sliced off the swollen back leg. But the effect of the Blizzard didn't last long as he wanted. Just as the enormous body began to topple over, the ice quickly melted. The beast, free of its icy prison, caught itself with its three remaining legs even as the severed leg shattered to pieces under its weight. It bellowed in obvious anger. "Shit!" Kaiba cursed, "Now I know I need an upgrade!" Suddenly, the monster lunged itself toward the Splicer Killer.

"WATCH OUT!" Kisara exclaimed. But the monster proved to be too fast for Kaiba, and it managed to gore him on the side of his stomach with its third tusk. He screamed in pain even as he was tossed into the air, blood spraying everywhere. "KAIBA!" the Reaper screamed as Kaiba fell to the ground, landing on his stomach. He painfully rose to his knees, clutching his wound. And his fury was enough to match his opponent, which began to charge again in spite of its missing leg.

"Big mistake!" he growled. He lifted his right arm and let the sword in his gauntlet morph into a drill. Then the icy sheen on his skin pulsed with power as he summoned forth his Overdrive Ability. "GLACIER WAVE!" He struck the ground with his drill, and summoned the geyser. It became solid ice before it exploded into a wave of frost that froze almost everything in its path—including the splicer elephant. "Now Kisara!" Kaiba exclaimed, "Finish it off!"

Kisara glared and nodded, even as the blue glow in her eyes became even brighter with intense power. She leapt up into the air and thrust her hand forward.

"SHINING NEUTRON BLAST!"

And in an instant, her Reaper's Overdrive, in the form of a great bolt of lighting, flashed from her fingers and struck the splicer elephant's frozen form. It shook violently with the electricity before finally exploding in chunks of frozen flesh and ice. Landing gracefully on her feet in from of the fragmented remains, the Reaper clutched her stomach and fell on her knees. Her breathing grew heavy.

"Kisara!" Kaiba shouted as he limped to her side. "Kisara, are you all right?"

"Ugh… just fine." Kisara muttered. And with that, the Splicer Killer helped her up. Once more there was a sudden jerk in her stomach, and she groaned in frustration. "Now the slug's hungry again!"

Right at that moment, a splicer whose skin was covered in a sheet of frost crept up from the shadows. Mokuba was still on his hands and knees when he heard the creature chuckle wickedly behind him. The Scavenger boy turned around, and immediately he was filled with fear. "Heh heh heh heh heh… fresh Adam for the picking!" muttered the splicer with a wicked distorted grin. Mokuba frantically crab-walked in an attempt to escape. But with the ice still solid under him, he could only slip and fall. The splicer raised a fist, ready to strike. The boy screamed.

"MOKUBA!" Kaiba shouted in horror. Just then there was a loud whale call echoing in the frozen halls. The angry and determined Bouncer rose to his feet and charged at the threat, taking full advantage of the slippery ice. Just in time, his spinning drill skewered its intended target through the chest. The attack came so fast, in fact, that the splicer had no time to escape. The Big Daddy continued to slide until the tip of his drill struck a nearby wall, thereby pinning his enemy. Within seconds, the enemy fell dead in a mix of blood, gore and shattered ice. The Hunter then pulled out his drill, and the corpse fell face first to the ground. Kaiba couldn't help but shudder at the sight of the bloodied drill in action. Then he took a brief moment to look at the drill attached to the gauntlet on his own arm. How ironic… his most powerful weapon in his arsenal was the very same weapon that still brought terror into his heart.

"YEAH! WAY TO GO BUBBLES!" Mokuba cheered, interrupting the thoughts of his brother. The Splicer Killer looked up just in time to see the young Scavenger happily run up to his guardian, who let out a relieved moan and lifted him up. "Ha, ha, you the man!" the boy praised as he climbed onto the Big Daddy's back, "I knew you can take 'em down! That monster had it coming! Now let's get out of here before more of 'em show up!" The Hunter moaned in agreement as the surrounding ice began to melt, and the pair went on their way. Thankfully, there was a Scavenger's vent not far off from Kaiba's view.

"Don't worry Mokuba," Kaiba stated, even though he knew that his brother was not listening. "Your days of gathering will soon be over and we'll be together again."

"What do you mean Seto?" Kisara asked.

Kaiba turned his attention toward his Reaper. "I met the granddaughter of Dr. Brigitte Tenenbaum today, and she just revealed a new plasmid. It's called Restoration, and it lets you extract the rapture slug without killing its Scavenger. And not only that, it can change that very same Scavenger back into a normal human being! Just think: With that plasmid, I can finally undo what my father had done to Mokuba!" He suddenly let out a shout of pain, clutching his still wounded stomach.

"Seto!" Kisara gasped in concern before her slug 'punched' from within her stomach again.

"You still have that extra supply of the Nami serum on you, don't you?"

"Don't I always?" The Reaper took out of her pocket a syringe containing the healing serum that her companion needed.

"Thanks." Kaiba replied, "How about you go and get some Nagi from the splicer that Big Daddy just killed."

"Sure, I'll do just that." And she stood up, heading toward the corpse. The machines returned to its dormant oval state, and Kaiba undid the straps and removed the machine on his right arm, as well as the armband from which it rested. He then pulled down his sleeve, exposing his right forearm. Right on the wrist below the palm of his hand, there was a tattoo in the shape of a straight gold chain. He stuck the needle of his syringe right in the middle of that tattoo and made his injection. Right at the same time, Kisara began to gather her Nagi.

"You know," he stated, "the more I think about it, the more it makes me tremble inside."

"What makes you tremble?"

"On the same day I met Tenenbaum's granddaughter, I met a new face in Kyoki: a boy, just my age. The thought of that guy sent shivers down my spine. For one thing, he bore a striking resemblance to Yugi. But it's not just his appearance that got my attention. I've just met him, and yet…" He trailed off in the middle of his sentence.

"What's the matter?" Kisara asked.

"Something in the back of my mind seemed to actually… recognize him! Like I've known him for a long time…!" He paused as he studied his tattoo. "And as if to prove it, he had the exact same gold chain tattoo that I have—only, his was on his left wrist! I don't know why, but I'm starting to get a strange feeling… that he and I are… connected to each other in some way." Right at that moment, Kaiba's cell phone started buzzing. By then, he was completely healed of his injuries. Groaning in frustration, he rolled his sleeve back up and strapped back on his armband and machine before taking out his cell. On screen was a certain man with his the top of his face covered by his Chinese-styled straw hat. And it was a man Kaiba knew all too well.

"Kaiba!" Raiden stated with obvious disgust, "I've been trying to contact you for hours now! Why haven't you answered? Have you been following that little Nagi Leech again?"

"That 'Nagi Leech' is my little brother, you fuck." Kaiba growled.

"Don't you dare speak to your superior in that manner!" Raiden retorted, "I don't give a damn as to what that _thing_ was before, and neither should you! And we mustn't forget that Reaper you've been escorting since the Wars got started."

"We've made a deal, remember? I told you that as long as you and your thugs keep your hands off of Mokuba and Kisara, I'll serve you in your cause."

"And because you were the most loyal of all my followers, I've kept my end of the bargain thus far." The guide reasoned, "But that doesn't mean you have to watch over those two like a Big Daddy. They're not worth it!"

"Sorry, but I beg to differ." Noted the Splicer Killer, "With all those filthy splicers out on the streets eager to grab some Nagi, including the ones that so happen to make up the majority of your 'worshippers', I have every reason to make sure that no harm comes to either of them. And let's leave it at that!"

Raiden growled, lowering his straw hat a little. "Anyway, I called because I have some new orders to give you. Do you remember a certain young man you've met recently? One Atem Kakita?"

"You know that guy?" Kaiba gasped in surprise.

"Answer my question Kaiba! Do you remember or not?"

"Of course I remember! What makes you think I don't?"

"Good. I want you to join with him and his friends in their journey."

"What? But why?"

"I've given them the mission to assassinate Ryu Mutou, but they won't be able to succeed in that task without your help. With your arsenal of gauntlet machines with its blades and drills, and your ever-powerful Blizzard plasmid, they will be a force to be reckoned with—especially Atem!"

"And what makes you think that Atem isn't going to fail like all the other assassins before him?"

"Let's just say he's got the very thing that his predecessors lack. And… let's just leave it at that, for now."

Kaiba paused for a moment and thought hard. "All right Raiden. I'll do what you ask of me. Besides, I was planning to meet up with them tomorrow and join forces with them anyway."

"Excellent!" Raiden praised. "Now as soon as you're finished guarding that ticking time bomb of yours, go and get some rest. It's going to be a big day."

"Got it." Kaiba confirmed. And with that, Raiden finished his call. By then Kisara had gathered enough Nagi to feed her slug and she was now in the midst of finishing her fill. The Splicer Killer approached her as she wiped her mouth.

"There. I think my slug is appeased now." she stated. "Thanks again for your help."

"No problem." Kaiba replied. "Let's hurry back to your vent before we get forced into another battle. I don't want this night to be a long one."

"If it makes you feel any better, neither do I." Kisara answered with a smile. The Splicer Killer gave a playful smirk in satisfaction. And so the two companions quietly rushed out into the shadows, the sounds of frogs and crickets hiding the noises that would otherwise alert their presence.

Note: In the next chapter of Plasmashock, Atem and his companions are joined by Kaiba and Yugi, as well as a few other members of the Mermaid League. What happens when Ryu Mutou shows up? And what was the secret that Yugi holds? You'll just have to wait and find out! Until Next Time!


	25. Chapter 25

Note: Sorry it took so long. But I finally managed to upload the newest chapter of Plasmashock! The Arcadia adventure continues, and a shocking secret about Yugi is revealed! Enjoy the story!

**Chapter 25: Paradise Killed**

In the early morning, there was an excited whale call bellowing from right outside the Eden Safehouse. "That's right Beta! We're back!" Anzu greeted happily. The Hunter that was Beta reached out and gave Anzu a big hug, the green light flashing in his helmet. "Ready to go out and kick some splicer butt?" The Rosie nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't know about you," Jonouchi stated, "but I've been ready to equip this Human Torch gene tonic since yesterday! Can I equip it now? Pretty pleeeeease?"

"Yes Jonouchi, you can equip it now." Atem replied.

"ALL RIGHT!" cheered the sandy blonde, and right away he took his gene tonic from out of his pouch and prepared the syringe.

Raphael, Amelda and Varon stood near the team, smirking with anticipation. "You sure you want to come with us?" Honda asked them.

"Of course." Raphael answered, "We figured you might use an extra set of hands for fighting splicers."

"True, we may not use plasmids ourselves, but we got some weapons to make up for it. Like this beauty right here!" Varon added, lifting up what the team figured to be a flame-thrower. Honda simply nodded.

Mai turned towards Stephen, Emily and Coral, who were standing by the door leading to the Safehouse. "What about you guys? Are you coming too?"

"As much as we want to go, I afraid we can't… at least not today anyway." Stephen replied, "We got some stuff to do in the Benzaiten Safehouse and it's real important."

"That's right." Coral stated, "My boyfriend needs us to make it all work."

"No problem. We'll just meet you later." Mai replied with a wink.

"Sure! Good luck everyone!" Emily cheered, and with that she and her friends rushed back into the Safehouse. It was at that moment Jonouchi stuck the needle into his wrist and made the injection. He gasped as a surge of power flooded over him. He reactivated his Blaze plasmid, and found that the coals covering his skin had become brighter. As he looked at himself, his mouth widened in a grin.

"AW YEAH!" Jonouchi exclaimed enthusiastically, "Eat your heart out Human Torch!" Atem couldn't help but smile at his friend.

"All right Agents," Yugi announced to his fellows, "You know the drill: cover your mermaid brooches. Make sure no part of them is sticking out."

"Got it!" Anzu replied. Raphael, Amelda and Varon simply nodded. With that, each of the Agents proceeded to maneuver pieces of their clothing so that their brooches were out of sight.

"I don't understand. You told me that Mutou and Raiden are both unaware of the Mermaid League's existence." noted Atem as he watched this action, "Why do you need to hide your symbol?"

"It's a precaution we Mermaid Agents take whenever we go outside the Safehouses." Yugi answered as he hid his mermaid brooch, "Our enemies are hostile enough as they are, no matter what side they're fighting on. But if any one of them happens to discover the presence and significance of the Mermaid League, there will **really** be a price on our heads! So even if it seems that no one knows, we still have to conceal our brooches… just in case."

"Ah, I see!" Atem replied.

"Well now that you're all prepared, let's get on with it shall we?" suggested Pegasus and he lifted Blossom up in front of him. "Time to bring out the map and go to radar mode!"

"Okie Dokie Master!" Blossom squeaked, "The map to Arcadia is downloading… now!"

"Oh c'mon, seriously! You guys know you can't leave without me!" A familiar voice suddenly called out from ahead of them. Everyone looked up toward the voice to find a certain Splicer Killer standing proudly before them.

Yugi's eyes widened in astonishment. "Kaiba! It's you! I haven't seen you since the start of the First Kyoki War!"

Kaiba couldn't help but shudder a little at the sight of the League Leader. "Long time, no see Yugi."

"SAY **WHAT**?" Jonouchi exclaimed in utter disbelief, pointing at the Splicer Killer, "Y-YUGI! You mean to say YOU **KNOW** THAT GUY?"

"…I take it you've met him recently." Yugi stated to the sandy blonde.

"Look Mutt," Kaiba replied, "it's nice to see that you've made the connection between me and Yugi, but as for how we're connected, we'll explain later." Jonouchi, as usual, growled at the Splicer Killer for the 'Mutt' label as the latter turned his attention toward the diplomatic protector. "Anzu, did you get that Restoration plasmid?"

"Of course." Anzu replied, taking out a bottle containing the plasmid in question. "Grandma just sent it to me this morning. Two doses of it in fact. You can have this dose."

"You have my gratitude." Stated the Splicer Killer, and he once more undid the machine and armband on his right arm and unrolled the sleeve. As Kaiba prepared the syringe, Atem couldn't help but notice a familiar tattoo marked on the right wrist below the Splicer Killer's palm.

_Look Yugi!_ he noted to the doppelganger with his telepathy, _He's got the same tattoo I have!_

_Tattoo?_ Yugi asked in confusion. The Bolt wielder then revealed his own golden chain tattoo, which rested on his own left wrist. Yugi stared at it, then at the Kaiba's tattoo. His eyes widened in shock as he gazed back at the first. _No way!_

"Anyway," Kaiba continued as he injected the Restoration plasmid, "You remember asking me to help you last night? Well, I've just got word from Raiden that you and your friends are on the warpath to Ryu Mutou."

"Raiden?" Anzu asked in surprise, gaining everyone's attention. Only a few seconds passed before she gave him a glare. "Hey wait! You're telling us you work for Raiden?"

"Yeah, but it's not because I want to. You can be thankful for that part." Kaiba admitted, and he removed the syringe, and redid the garb and equipment on his arm. "Anyway, he told me to aid you somewhat with the assassination, so I guess our little arrangement from before seemed to work out nicely."

Anzu's glared vanished from her face. "Well, in either case, I'm just glad you're here to help us."

"That's right." Yugi agreed, "If you're willing to help us rescue the Scavengers on the way, we'll be more than happy to accept your assistance."

"I got the map!" Blossom announced.

"Good! Let go to the Gatherer's Garden store first and stock up on some extra supplies." Pegasus suggested.

"Good call Pegasus." Atem stated, and he reactivated his own Bolt plasmid. He looked over at Kaiba and Jonouchi. _Incredible._ He thought, _The three B's… the three most powerful elemental plasmids, all together in one group. No doubt we'll take down Mutou in an instant!_ Beta moaned and motioned for everyone to come. Atem nodded. "Let move on out!"

* * *

In the depths of Arcadia, the screen of a high definition TV hanging on a beam flashed an ad praising Raiden loud and clear even as the songs of the Gatherer's Garden dolls filled the hall. "Hmmm… How much does this plasmid cost?" Mai asked.

"Exactly 80 Nagi Miss Mai." Pegasus replied.

"Here, take some of mine." Atem offered.

"You truly are a considerate man Atem." Mai complimented and went on to make her payment.

"And while you're at it, I'll take that gene tonic over there, the one called 'Sub-Zero'."

"Do you hear that, Blossom?" Pegasus stated happily to his doll, "Business is booming for us today!"

"Boom, boom!" Blossom squealed.

While all that commotion was going on, Atem stepped away to stare at the posters of his guide. "So what are you going to do now?" Yugi asked.

"Wait for Raiden to call." Atem answered, "And when he does, I'm going to confront him about all the things he's done."

"Are you sure that's a good idea Atem?" Jonouchi asked. "I know he's not the good guy he claims to be, but that seems a little risky."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Atem responded. Sure enough, his Video Phone emitted its signal and when he picked it up, a certain guide appeared on screen.

"Hey there!" Raiden greeted, "Did you take a rest at the Eden Safehouse or something? I've tried to call you since yesterday. Anyway, it's good to see you're still safe-"

"Save it Raiden." Atem growled, "If you said my friends and I went to the Safehouse for some rest, you're absolutely right! And while we were there, I heard through the grapevine that you actually caused more pain than you healed." Raiden gaped in surprise as the Bolt wielder continued, "I also heard that you were the one who was behind the 2006 New Years Attack, that half of Kyoki's population was slain by the hand of your followers at your command! Is it true? Answer me!"

The guide lowered his head, as though in shame. "You were right to accuse me of all those things Atem… for I am indeed guilty as charged." He lifted his head. "But please, let me explain. I'm sure you've heard a lot of things about me by now. Seen my name about in posters, seen my face on TV. There was a time when I cared about politics. But I see now that politics are just an excuse for men to kill one another. I'm finished with that… I just wanted to see the sunlight again."

_The sunlight…_ Atem thought to himself. Although he didn't believe the majority of Raiden's explanation, he quietly agreed on one thing: he missed the sunlight. He missed the surface. And he wanted to go back.

"Anyway…" Raiden continued, "Is that… Yugi standing by you? I haven't seen him since… oh, what the hey! He'll be a very big help for your team. When you're done with whatever you're doing, hurry over to Rolling Hills."

"Right." Atem answered. After the call ended, he soon heard the agonized screams of a certain violet-eyed shutterbug. He and his two friends turned around to find Raphael and Beta applying some needed pressure on Mai, who had finished equipping her plasmid for the first time. Halos of misty wind were beginning to materialize over her body, wrapping around her forehead, biceps, wrists, waist, thighs and forelegs.

"Mai!" Jonouchi shouted and ran over to her.

"It's all right Jonouchi!" Honda reassured, "She can handle the modification."

"I know that Honda! I just don't want her to pass out!"

Mai took a deep breath, letting her head drop down. Then, although she was shaking a little, she slowly lifted her head and smirked playfully. "No need to worry everyone. I'm doing fine." Once they were certain that she could stand on her own, Raphael and Beta released their grip on her. "Thanks for the help boys."

"My pleasure." Raphael replied, and Beta moaned his whale call cheerfully. The violet-eyed shutterbug stepped forward, with her halos of wind all around her.

"Whoa! That plasmid really suits you!" Anzu complimented.

"Thanks Anzu." Mai replied, striking a pose. "And it's bound to come in handy."

"Do you mind telling me about that plasmid you just equipped? What does it do?" Atem asked.

"I was figuring you'd be asking that question Atem!" Mai answered with a wink, "This is the 'Cyclone' plasmid. I've often read about it in magazines and seen it on TV. With this, I can create gusts of wind that can send enemies flying to the ceiling." No sooner than she finished that sentence that the whole group heard the angry scream of a splicer coming from the other side of the room.

"AIEEE! WARNING! WARNING!" shrieked Blossom, "INCOMING SPLICER!"

"Well, what a coincidence! I think it's time to put this thing to the test!" She lifted her hand, sticking out her two fingers so that a small ring of misty wind formed around them. Then she thrust them like a pistol toward the ground. Instantly a small, and seemingly weak, cyclone rose up from the ground, never moving from its spot.

"That's it? A puny whirlwind?" Jonouchi asked, looking a little skeptical.

"Just wait a minute." Mai stated confidently. A few seconds later, the angry splicer came running toward them, waving his wrench wildly. No sooner than he stepped on the cyclone center than its wind suddenly grew in a burst of strength. It sent the monster flying into the air, and he hit the ceiling before plummeting dead to the ground. The violet-eyed shutterbug smirked in satisfaction, happy to know that her new plasmid worked so perfectly. "Not so puny now, is it?"

Jonouchi just gawked in front of the whole scene. "I stand corrected!"

"In its normal state, Cyclone is a defensive plasmid." Pegasus explained, "When used against enemies, they serve as traps for deadly ambushes. Keep in mind the fact that its doesn't work on larger foes."

"It's also a useful tool to help allies." Mai added, "If there's a particularly high place where you can't reach, my Cyclone plasmid can give you a boost to get you there. Think of it as an instant elevator."

"Amazing!" Atem stated, "I can only wonder what its Overdrive Ability can do."

Kaiba let out a stuttering gasp as he finished equipping his Sub-Zero gene tonic. "Whoa, check it out!" Honda gasped as he and the others watched the upgrade in action. The film of frost, which covered Kaiba's skin, became even glossier in appearance, making him look even more like living ice. Once the transformation was complete, the Splicer Killer let out a deep breath. The breath in question solidified momentarily as if formed by freezing cold air.

Before long, his lips curved into a smirk. "Bring it on splicers… I'm ready!"

"Well then mates! Now that we got what we needed, let's head over to Rolling Hill, shall we?" Varon suggested. Suddenly Atem fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain.

"Atem! What's wrong." Yugi shouted, as the Bolt wielder lifted his head. The words coming out of lips surprised everyone.

"Rolling Hills… Head north from the Tea Garden. The entrance is past the main forest."

Blossom gasped, "Hey! I'm not even on radar mode yet! But that's exactly what it says on the map!"

"Are you sure you've never been to this place before Atem?" Yugi asked, "Because you seem to know exactly where to go and that's starting to freak me out!"

"I don't know how I know the directions of certain places… but for some reason I know! And that's what scares me!" Atem muttered as he slowly stood up.

"First the Wharf Master's Office and now this?" Honda noted, "Something's going on here!"

"If that's the case, we'll follow you Rolling Hills." Amelda stated to the Bolt wielder, "And Blossom will keep us from straying." Beta moaned in agreement. Though he was still startled by what was happening, Atem nodded in agreement.

* * *

Minutes later, the whole team was traveling down the hall beyond the main forest, with Atem leading the way. It was not long before he stopped. "There! The entrance to Rolling Hills!" Sure enough, the door to their destination was right before them, displaying the name in a bold neon sign. Atem's Video Phone signaled its call, and Raiden appeared on the screen.

"Great job!" Raiden praised, "The main bathysphere of the Kyoki Metro is not far off. And from there, it's straight on to Mutou. Just be careful."

"We will Raiden." Atem answered before ending the call.

Raphael lifted his shotgun. "If the rumors are correct, it's straight on to the Ace in the Hole as well."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jonouchi shouted impatiently, "We've got a bathysphere to catch!" And with that, the team forged ahead. Rolling Hills composed of a hilly grassy plain dotted with trees suited for temperate climates, likes oaks, elms and the like. They were at the center of the plain when a low growl pierced the silence. They stood rigid on the spot, and some began to look around.

"Uh guys?" Anzu asked, "Am I the only one who's got a feeling we're being watched? And I'm not talking about the security cameras." No sooner than she finished that sentence that a splicer resembling a rhinoceros charged toward them at top speed, distorted with tumors and open sores along with twisted limbs and bone exposed way below its horn. Luckily, Beta was even faster to respond. The green light in his helmet turned blue and he punched the beast on the side of its face, then shot it dead with his rivet gun when it was down. The others peered down at their fallen attacker.

"A splicer rhino?" Pegasus muttered, "Now that's a new one for me."

"Thanks again Beta!" Anzu stated and Beta moaned as if to say, 'No problem!'

"Damn, there's no end to these mutated animals!" Kaiba growled in disgust, "Last night I had to deal with an elephant splicer."

"Never mind that." Yugi stated, "Let's get out of here while we still can." Everyone sped toward the stairway leading below. At the bottom there was a station labeled, 'Langford Laboratory'.

"There's the place where Aunt Julie works, with the help of her assistants." Honda noted. And he faced the end of the hall. "And there's the doorway to the Kyoki Metro!"

"You're right! There it is!" Mai gasped.

"Shall we head out then?" Pegasus suggested.

"Good idea." Raphael agreed. The team started on their way, but they didn't go far; they saw that Atem and Yugi were very hesitant.

"What's wrong?" Amelda asked.

"I don't think we're home free just yet." Atem answered.

"C'mon! The door's unlocked and there's nothing to hold us back!" Jonouchi assured. "What could possibly go wrong?"

No sooner than he finished than Atem's Video Phone signaled a call. The Bolt wielder answered it, and another familiar face appeared on screen—a face no one wanted to see.

"I cannot help but be impressed by your tenacity, Boy." Ryu Mutou stated.

"You again?" Atem bellowed in rage.

"Goddammit Mutou!" Jonouchi likewise roared, "Why do you always have to butt in like that?"

"Heh… Bold words for a couple of weeds." Mutou noted, "How many trees have you planted up to this point?" There was no reply from the team, only a glare on all sides. "Exactly. Many years ago on the surface, when I was a teenager like most of you, I was the youngest self-made billionaire in Japan. At the time I came up with the plan to build Kyoki, the parasites went about seeking a personal wildlife sanctuary I owned and turn it into a public zoo. Why? So the tyrants can wallow in the shades of trees among birds and beasts of every environment, like it was paradise earned. When the Japanese government moved in to nationalize my wildlife sanctuary, I released all the animals and returned them to their natural habitats. And once the sanctuary was empty of all its residents, I burned it to the ground. The gods and goddesses of the world have created many things, but they certainly did not create this Arcadia! I did!"

By now, Yugi could no longer control his own rage. Before anyone else could react, he snatched Atem's Video Phone and faced the screen. There was venom in the tone of his voice. "Oh, how _inspiring_… COMING FROM THE **MAN** WHO _**NATIONALIZED**_ ORICHALCOS FUTURISTICS!"

"YUGI MUTOU!" Roared the self-proclaimed King of Kyoki when he laid eyes on the League leader.

"_Mutou?_" Atem gasped in shock.

"It is frustrating enough to get you to follow in my footsteps!" Mutou continued, "Do you really have to go as far as to betray Kyoki as well?"

"If anyone has ever betrayed Kyoki, IT'S YOU, FATHER!" Yugi bellowed back.

"_Father?_" Jonouchi exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Don't you go speaking to me with that tone of voice young man!" Mutou scolded harshly, "As long as you live in my city, you obey my rules!"

"Since when does Kyoki have rules?" Yugi retorted, "As I recall, this city was built to escape the rules of tyrants everywhere! You said yourself that free will is the cornerstone of this society or have you forgotten?"

"ENOUGH!" Mutou barked, "I will get through to you one way or another, Yugi—even if it means cutting off the city's oxygen to suffocate your parasite friends!"

"You wouldn't DARE!"

"Just watch me!" There was the sound of a button pushed from Mutou's office right before he ended the call, and in a matter of seconds, clouds of noxious green clouds burst out from several pipes and began to spread all over Arcadia. The door to the Kyoki Metro shut tight immediately.

"Oh no!" Mai shouted in horror before she began to cough.

"What's going on? The air is being poisoned!" Anzu exclaimed, finding herself struggling to breathe.

"And that's not all!" Honda panicked, "Look!" The team looked and all around them all the trees started sagging, and leaves were shriveling up and turning a dead brown. Even the grass under their feet was feeling the effects.

"Unbelievable!" Pegasus gasped, "Arcadia's plant life is wilting!"

"Damn Ryu Mutou! Ever since the Shootout he never plays fair!" Kaiba barked in anger before going into a coughing fit.

"Yugi!" Varon strained to plead as he, Raphael and Amelda fell to their knees clutching their throats, "Do something! This poison cloud is gonna kill us!"

"Hang in there guys!" Yugi coughed, "I got something just for this situation!" He quickly took out some small oxygen tanks the size of large soda bottles, complete with oxygen masks that look like those seen in the hospital. He strapped the tank onto his back and put on one of the masks and when he pushed the button mists of clean air spewed from two tiny valves on opposite side of the tank's cap, thereby expelling the poison cloud from the inside of the mask. "Here!" he instructed hastily, giving one of them to a choking Atem, "Put these on!" Atem strapped on the life-saving equipment and activated the tank so that all he can breathe in was clean air. The doppelganger then handed out the oxygen tanks to other members of team, and they quickly put it to good use. Thankfully, Beta had no need for these oxygen supplies; it was built into his suit. Blossom didn't have to worry about the supplies either, because she was a robot doll. Finally only Kaiba remained, and Yugi approached him. "C'mon Kaiba, you get some oxygen too!" But the Splicer Killer was more hesitant; in fact, he just stared at him, stiff with fear even as the poison cloud was choking him.

"Seriously! What's the matter with him?" Amelda asked standing up along with the other agents, "It's like he's seen a ghost!"

"I'll handle this." Atem suggested.

"Please do! " Yugi replied, and immediately handed over the tank and mask. The Bolt Wielder stepped forward. Kaiba's eyes widened further with fear and he inched away slightly.

"Kaiba!" Atem insisted, "You have to take the oxygen tank or else you'll die! Think of your little brother!"

At first, Kaiba did nothing but stare. But slowly, he took the tank and the mask and expelled the poison from his airway. Once that was done, he spoke. "I don't get it… Atem… I shouldn't be afraid of you! Or Yugi, to a lesser extent! But for some reason I am!"

But Atem wasn't paying attention. He and Jonouchi were more focused on Yugi—mainly for the shocking revelation that just unfolded. "Yugi! What you just said right now! Is it true? Is Ryu Mutou really your…?"

Yugi glared but remained calm. "As much as I hate to admit it, yes. That son of a bitch is my father."

"Damn… This is crazy! Your father is the man who made a nightmare out of Kyoki! The same man who is trying to kill us!" Jonouchi stated, "Why did you try to hide it from us?"

"He wasn't hiding." Mai answered, "Every citizen of Kyoki knows that he is the son of Ryu Mutou—and that over time he rebelled against him."

"Even though I've been friends with Yugi for a long time, I still don't know the details of his background since I spent most of my time helping out Aunt Julie." Honda added, "But like everyone else who's not a splicer, I know this much: He's basically an apple that didn't fall far from the tree… until the tree started rotting!"

Atem and Jonouchi stared in amazement before they looked toward the Prince of Kyoki. "Unbelievable!" Atem stated to his doppelganger, "When you said your grudge against Mutou was personal, I never thought it was that personal!"

Jonouchi mused, "I guess it all makes sense. Mutou has fallen so far from grace, even his own son hates his guts! Not that I blame you Yugi, I feel the same way about my dad." He then looked at his surroundings, as did everyone else. "Speaking of rotting trees, we sure got a lot of dead wood in this place."

Atem Video Phone signaled a call and Raiden appeared onscreen. "I knew it! Listen everyone, I may not be a botanist like that betty, Langford, but I have a feeling that Mutou had just killed Arcadia."

"You got that right mate," Varon explained, "He just released some poison clouds into the air, and the next thing you know all the trees, grass and flowers just died."

"And I presume the results will be devastating, right Varon?" Atem asked.

"More than devastating Atem! Remember! We're at the bottom of the ocean, and you know as much as I do that we can't breathe underwater! So all of our oxygen comes from the trees! No trees, no oxygen!"

"Give me some time to think then…" Raiden suggested. He was about to end the call when Honda's Video Phone signaled a call. And a certain scientist appeared onscreen.

"My trees!" exclaimed Julie, "Honda! You didn't defoliate the forests, did you?"

"N-No, I didn't!" Honda barked in a panic.

"Well then who did?"

Atem stepped up to face her and answered, "A certain unemployed hypocrite."

"…_Mutou_!" she growled. "You're in luck everyone, and from my perspective the timing couldn't be any more perfect. I have a Vector that can… oh, what am I saying? Honda, you remember the Rosa Gallica at the Waterfall Grotto, don't you?"

Honda blinked in confusion before he gasped. "The Rosa Gallica… Y-yeah Aunt Julie, I remember!"

"Well, now's the time to retrieve the sample!" Julie replied, "If the final Lazarus test is successful, the Rosa Gallica will be the only source of oxygen left that's keeping us alive and you might not need those oxygen supplies!"

"Sure thing Aunt Julie!" Honda replied, and his aunt ended her call.

"Seems like Langford has a way to get you out of this mess." Raiden noted, "Do as she tells you and hurry!" With that, Raiden ended his call.

"Uh, I don't get what she's talking about." Jonouchi stated.

"She's talking about her latest invention." Honda explained, "Rosa Gallica is a scientific word for 'rose', and it's the main test subject for that invention. Sometimes I don't know exactly what she's talking about, but that's because I haven't equipped the Clever Inventor gene tonic yet. But I've always wanted to be an inventor just like my parents. One day, four years ago, I walked in as she was setting plans for her invention, to which I still don't know the name…"

**Julie Langford was busy writing down the thesis and recreating it on her computer, when a thirteen-year old Honda came through the door of the lab. "Hi Aunt Julie! Mom and Dad need an extra hand to… Aunt Julie? What are you doing?"**

**Julie looked behind her to meet her nephew. "Honda! What are you doing here? Would you wait for a minute? I'm busy right now!" She went straight back to work.**

"**Busy with what?" Honda asked, stepping toward the desk. Peeking over her shoulder, he could see the formulas and thesis documents. But he couldn't understand what they meant. "Are you planning to… build something?" For a second time, Julie paused. After a while she looked at her nephew straight in the eye.**

"**You really want to find out what I'm doing?"**

"**Yeah."**

"**Then you'll have to promise you'll help me with this. It's a top secret invention."**

"**Sure! I'll help out! Besides, I've wanted to invent something all my life! What does it do?"**

"**Heh heh heh, who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Honda, this baffy plant woman here comes from a family that has spent many years coming up with ways to defoliate trees for various reasons, from scaring the Congs to strengthening the health of forests in Berkley's National Parks. And now here I am under the sea, trying to fulfil the dream of doing the same thing in reverse! Nagi, Adam, Nagi, Adam… Whatever name it goes by, it's homemade Vodka, times the atomic bomb, times Eve with the serpent… or in the case of Japanese kids like you, Izanami with the food of Yomi." Julie gave a confident smirk, "Let's go see what it can do, shall we Sweet Cheeks?"**

/

**Two years later, Honda was with his aunt at the Waterfall Grotto. Julie was kneeling down and examining a dead rosebush at the very bottom, and the Telekinesis wielder was beginning to panic. "Yes Honda, I know about my lockdown mechanism! It's insane! Just give me a minute over here!"**

"**But Aunt Julie-"**

"**Just look at it Honda!" she interrupted pointing to a select bunch of new rosebuds. "The early Lazarus tests are very promising! The time has come to put this baby to the final test!" She sprayed a blue mist onto the entire rose bush. "If the Rosa Gallica blooms, then by God I know we're finally in business!"**

"**That's great Aunt Julie and I'm proud of our accomplishment on… whatever the hell that is, but we have to hurry back to the lab!" Honda looked back briefly. "The lockdown will activate within 60 seconds, and if we don't get there in time, we'll be locked out of the lab! And you know we left the keys inside!" Hastily, a frustrated Julie stood up and rushed upstairs.**

"**All right, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE LEAVING!" When she reached the top she pointed her finger right on to Honda's chest. "But when the time comes, ****you'll**** have to come back and check on those samples! They're very important!"**

"**Yes Aunt Julie I know!" Honda answered, "I'll go get them! You can count on me, just let me know when it's time!"**

"… And now the time has finally come to retrieve the rose samples." Honda finished. "Maybe now she can let me in on what that invention is. All those years I've helped her out, and she still hasn't told me what she's cooking up."

"Then let's head over to the Waterfall Grotto and get the samples!" Pegasus suggested.

"Yay! Roses!" Blossom squeaked happily.

"There's just one problem…" Honda noted, "The Waterfall Grotto is located just beyond this cave, and it's used as the shrine for the Xibalbites!"

"If that's the only way to get there, we've got no other choice." Atem reasoned.

"POISON!" screamed an angry distorted voice from behind the team. Many other angry voices followed and a mob of splicers carrying wrenches, swords, spears, lead pipes and axes all came charging toward them from the other side of the hall.

"INCOMING SPLICERS!" Blossom cried, ducking behind Pegasus' shoulder.

"THIS IS OUR HOME!" bellowed a male splicer rushing over to strike their targets. Varon and Raphael, who were in front of their friends, managed to jump out of the way so that the splicer's wrench only struck the ground. Sensing the battle about to unfold, Mai quickly lifted her digital research camera and took a needed snapshot from the back.

"Damn splicers! They're so stupid, they blame us for Arcadia's destruction!" Varon shouted, and he activated his flame-thrower, incinerating the several splicers in the mob. Raphael took out his own shotgun and blasted a few more on the head. Amelda finished of the rest of them with the help of Beta, throwing grenades into the midst.

"Let's move out everyone!" Raphael shouted. "Mutou's bound to send reinforcements after us, so we gotta get to the Grotto before that happens!" The rest of the team agreed, and rushed into the flooded cave.

Once inside, they took time to survey their surroundings. It was dim, lit by several torches. Upon closer inspection, they realized that the torches were actually large straw dolls held up on iron bars. The walls were covered with glowing runes in strange patterns, and at the center of a small mossy island there stood what looked like a crude altar, surrounded by a great deal of 'offerings'. At first, not much was said among the team, save only Beta's whale moans as they navigated the cave. "I must say I'm impressed." Kaiba finally commented to Raphael with a smirk. "You and your friends over there slaughtered those splicers with nearly just as much passion as I have. And I mean nearly."

"We do the best we can." Raphael replied.

Amelda approached the Splicer Killer, with a certain question in mind. "So Kaiba… I heard that you have a little brother… one that was converted into a Scavenger. Is he the reason you hunt splicers?"

"Yeah." Kaiba answered. "Whenever I find him, I have to keep them from harvesting him. Is that a good enough explanation for you?"

The androgynous Agent let out a thoughtful sigh. "I know exactly what you're going through."

"Bullshit. How could you possibly know?"

"… I also had a little brother who was converted into a Scavenger. But he's dead now."

Kaiba stared at Amelda in shock. Soon shock gave way to sympathy. "He was harvested?"

Amelda nodded sadly. "Along with Raphael and Varon, I used to work for Raiden. One day we were participating in a raid when I found my brother and two other Scavengers walking down the halls, each with a Big Daddy by their side. Raiden tempted us to go kill the brutes and harvest all three Scavengers. When we naturally refused, he commanded his splicers to do the deed instead. We tried to stop them, but they held us back. In the end, we were all forced to watch as the splicers ripped the slugs out of their little bodies, killing them instantly. After that, we all left Raiden and his band of thieves. We've been fighting against him ever since."

"Who were the other two Scavengers that were with your brother?" Kaiba asked.

It was Raphael who gave the answer. "They were my siblings: a brother and a sister to be exact. Long before the Kyoki Wars began, my parents were executed in Amaterasu Square when Mutou was turning evil. Right after the New Years Attack, my siblings were taken and converted into Scavengers. By now, you know their sad fate."

Atem and Yugi were listening intently on the conversation as they traveled. _Heartbreaking, isn't it?_ Yugi noted telepathically.

_Yes. And that's why I'm happy I got that Restoration plasmid from Anzu. No one should ever have to go through this tragedy._

"Does anybody else here think this cave looks creepy?" Jonouchi asked, staring at the altar ahead.

"Wait!" Honda gasped, "What's that over there?" He stretched his hand toward the crude altar and used his Telekinesis to retrieve a certain flask of green liquid. "It's another flask of chlorophyll! And there's two more over there!"

"Oooo lookie!" Blossom squealed from Pegasus shoulder, "Porno magazines!"

"GAH!" Honda exclaimed, and quickly retrieved the offending stack telekinetically from the shrine. "Let's just pretend you didn't see that!"

His Video Phone suddenly turned on, revealing the face of his aunt. "Honda, are you at the grotto yet?"

"Not yet Aunt Julie, but we're almost there."

"Well hurry up already! And while you're at it, bring all the chlorophyll you find back to the lab as well. It's a vital part of this invention!"

"Got it!" Once the scientist cancelled the call, the Telekinesis wielder proceeded to take the flasks, this time by hand. He had just added them to his stash when a strange ripping noise echoed in the damp cave.

"Did you hear that?" Mai gasped, taking up her camera.

"Not again!" Blossom whimpered, and for good reason. It was not long before a pair of different colored smoke materialized from two different directions, one red and one blue, traveling at top speed toward the center.

"SPLICERS!" Kaiba shouted, and he jumped up to the ceiling using his blade gauntlets and blade boots to latch on. As the rest of the team readied themselves for battle, the first mage splicer appeared and set more straw totems on fire.

"POISON! YOU DEFILE THIS PLACE!" the splicer roared and shot fireballs toward the team. They barely had enough time to dodge the attack before their opponent began to teleport in a puff of red smoke.

"Don't lose sight of her!" Raphael warned as he tracked the fast-flying smoke cloud. It wasn't long before the fire mage splicer materialized again—right behind Anzu to be exact!

"ANZU! BEHIND YOU!" Yugi exclaimed just as the splicer jumped up from the water began to shoot toward her like a human meteor. With a surprised shout, Anzu jumped to the side. Angered at the near miss, the fire mage landed back in the water with a splash. That was when it dawned on the Bolt wielder.

"Yugi!" Atem shouted, "Do whatever it takes to keep that splicer in the water!"

It didn't take long for the Prince of Kyoki to piece together his friend's plan. "Right!" he replied, then threw his cards on the enemy before she could teleport again. She spun around to face him… and behind the crude mask her anger quickly turned into horror.

She stuttered, "The… t-the son of…M-M-Mutou…!"

"Get out of the water, NOW!" Atem commanded his companions, charging his quarterstaff pipe with the power of his Bolt plasmid. Once the others were safely out of the pool, the Bolt wielder slammed his weapon downward. Instantly the pool was crackling with electricity, and the fire mage screamed in agony. "Kaiba! Finish her off!" The Splicer Killer, who was still crawling on the ceiling, did not hesitate to dive down and thrust his ice-coated gauntlet blades into the splicer's back. She was immediately frozen in place and shattered to pieces when he pulled out his weapon. Just then the blue cloud of smoke flew to the center before materializing into the second mage splicer. This one had a similar 'cultist' garb to that of his fallen companion, but his skin was coated in a sheet of ice. Seeing this, Mai quickly snapped a digital photo.

"YOU FIEND!" roared the splicer to Kaiba, "YOU SHALL PAY FOR DESECRATING THIS HOLY PLACE!" Immediately Kaiba activated his Blizzard plasmid, unleashing a barrage of ice spikes. However, the ice did nothing to harm his opponent: in fact, it seemed to invigorate him!

"SHIT!" Kaiba cursed, "I forgot! My plasmid doesn't work on the likes of him!" The splicer then unleashed a barrage of his own ice spikes, which struck Kaiba on the shoulder as he tried to dodge. Since he had the Blizzard plasmid himself, the attack didn't freeze him in place, but it did wound him.

"That's splicer's different from the fire mage!" Jonouchi gasped. "He's just about as cold as Kaiba!"

"And here's why!" Mai responded, showing the sandy blonde the data on her digital research camera.

_**Ice Mage Splicer**_

_**This mage splicer wields the power of the Blizzard plasmid. In lower levels their attack patterns are somewhat similar to the fire mage, except that they use the powers of ice and frost. At higher levels however, the ice mage can summon tidal waves of liquid nitrogen and mists that can freeze enemies in their tracks. Because they are highly attuned to their Blizzard plasmid, they are immune to ice, but are extremely vulnerable to fire and lightning as well as antipersonnel rounds.**_

"An ice mage huh?" Jonouchi mused, "Sounds like the kind of mage splicer I can handle!" At that moment, the ice mage once again unleashed a barrage of ice spikes.

"Varon! Amelda!" Raphael shouted, and the two Agents spun around to face their enemy. But they had barely lifted their weapons when the ice spikes struck them, and froze them solid.

"Oh no!" Honda gasped.

"Now to finish you off!" bellowed the splicer. He quickly became like a statue of living ice and shot towards his frozen targets, surrounded by a mist of snow. Where the snow touched, the surface of the water froze into a sheet of ice.

"Not if I can help it!" Anzu declared, raising her boomerang and pointing toward the enemy. "GET HIM BETA!" Beta bellowed in reply, the blue light in his helm flashing. Quickly he stepped in front of the other two Agents and punched the incoming mage splicer. The Hunter was frozen for only a few seconds before the ice melted away, and he didn't hesitate to open fire.

The ice mage splicer stood up even as the bullets started flying. "Ugh, you think you're so tough eh?" Again he shot out a barrage of ice spikes. The Rosie was momentarily knocked off balance.

"Atem! That splicer's weak against fire and lightning!" Jonouchi stated, "Let's give him the combo before he does damage to Big Daddy Beta!"

"Right!" Atem agreed and the two friend charged up their plasmids. They didn't get a chance to activate them before the splicer teleported again to escape the bullets. "GRR! We have to keep him still!"

"I'll help you with that!" Yugi replied, and activated his Illusional Clone plasmid, sending the ghostly clone right in front of the enemy's path. The ice mage stopped in his tracks, canceling his teleportation. Like their first opponent, he was stiff with fear.

"Now Jonouchi!" Atem commended and he unleashed his Bolt. The sandy blonde followed in suit with a more powerful version of his Blaze. The splicer screamed in agony as he was being burned by fire and lightning.

"Time to finish you off!" Anzu exclaimed and threw her boomerang, slicing off their opponent's blazing head in one stroke before returning to its owner.

"That was too close!" Pegasus sighed.

"Nice work you two!" Raphael complimented, "Now help me defrost Varon and Amelda!"

"Sure thing!" Jonouchi agreed and shot the fire of his Blaze toward the still-frozen Mermaid Agents, melting the ice and setting them free.

"Whew! Thanks Mate!" Varon replied.

Honda picked up the fifth chlorophyll flask that was floating in the water not far away from the shattered corpse of the fire mage splicer. "In any case let's hurry over to the Waterfall Grotto." He stated as he went over to search the dead ice mage. "Just like those Xibalbite cultist to hide chlorophyll on their persons." he muttered under his breath as he retrieved yet another flask.

"Master! There's a sweet smell coming from that tunnel!" Blossom announced excitedly, pointing to the other side of the cave. "It seems to coming from some roses!"

"That means the Grotto's not very far from here." Pegasus reasoned, "If those roses are really alive then I can't wait to remove this oxygen mask!" With that the team forged ahead toward the dark tunnel.

"Yugi…" Atem stated to the Prince of Kyoki as they traveled, "While we were battling those splicers, I've noticed that they stopped attacking when they faced you. It's like they were actually trying to avoid hurting you."

"Even I don't know why some of them do it." Yugi answered, "If I have to guess, it may have something to do with the fact that they work for my father. But that doesn't mean I can let my guard down; some of my father's splicers go out and attack me anyway."

It was not long before they saw a soft pink light shining from the other side. Before the team even knew it, they were at the other side. The Waterfall Grotto was a deep cavern lit up with pink lanterns, and there were cascading waterfalls that filled the grotto with peaceful music. And at the very bottom of the cavern…

"Wow!" Anzu gasped, "There it is! It's so beautiful!" The large rose bush stood in the center of the large pool like a large jewel, bursting with beautiful red roses and green leaves. Honda was the first to remove his oxygen mask.

"And since it's still alive, that means Aunt Julie's invention actually works!" he stated with excitement. One by one, the rest of the team followed suit and removed their own oxygen masks, breathing in the clean air.

"So now what do we do?" Jonouchi asked.

"We retrieve the sample, that's what." Atem replied. He took a step on to the metal staircase—then quickly withdrew when he felt it shake. It shook for quite a bit before it was still again.

"Hmmm… Seems like the stairs are unstable." Amelda noted, "I suppose we have no choice but to jump down."

"But if we can't use the stairs, how are we gonna get back up?" Jonouchi asked.

"I'll assist you on that one." Mai answered with a wink, lifting her Cyclone-adorned fingers. "And while I'm at it, I can set up a couple of traps in case any splicers happen to come by."

"Great!" Honda replied, "I'll get the rose sample. Atem, Jonouchi, Yugi, you guys come with me to watch me back. The rest of you stay on the lookout from above."

"You got it." Raphael agreed, and turned toward the others as the Telekinesis wielder and his four friends leapt down. "If you happen to find any security cameras or turrets in the area, shoot them down." The others nodded and took their positions. Mai wasted no time preparing some traps with the help of her Cyclone plasmid. Kaiba took advantage of his own gauntlet blades and blade boots to survey the Grotto from the ceiling.

"Aha! I see you up there!" Pegasus stated mockingly at a security camera he spotted on the corner, and made quick work of it with his machine gun. Meanwhile at the bottom of the grotto, Yugi, Atem, Honda and Jonouchi were stepping toward the rose bush, when the League leader noticed something tangled up in the vines. He stepped over to investigate.

"What did you find Yugi?" Honda asked. Yugi gave no reply as he knelt down and carefully pulled out what happened to be a video diary. He pushed play, and the screen flickered on to reveal a slightly distorted woman with strawberry blonde hair. Atem and Jonouchi, who had stepped up for a closer look, recognized her immediately.

"It's that woman again!" Atem gasped, "Diane McClintock!"

Indeed Diane seemed to be troubled, and she began to speak. "_**It's been almost a year since the Attack… I just can't believe how much things have changed since I left Dr. Steinman's office…**_" The screen shifted to a horrifying scene, zooming in on crumbling architecture and splicers fighting one another. "_**I mean, it's like I don't even recognize Kyoki anymore!**_" The camera zoomed back to Diane, and there were tears streaming down her stitched-up cheeks. "_**I heard that they're rounding people up in Amaterasu Square… to be hanged. I confronted Mutou and I asked him… 'How could you do such terrible things to innocent people?' He said, 'Innocent people? Only small children are innocent; I shed a river of tears for those I couldn't protect… and indeed there are many of them who perished in this war. But the people you speak of are anything but innocent. If they haven't chosen to defend Kyoki and its people, they've chosen to fight for Raiden and his band of thieves. So with the exception of small children like the poor pitiful Scavengers in my care, there are no innocent people: there are heroes and there are criminals.' An hour later, I told Yugi these exact words. Needless to say… he was shocked, if not angry. He said to me, 'My father is wrong. In this war there are no **__**heroes**__**: there are villains and there are victims… With the Second Kyoki War just starting, I think it's time I did something about it.' At least he understands.**_" The screen flickered off, signaling that the entry was over. Atem looked up to his doppelganger and found that he had been crying.

"Diane…" he whispered.

"… You care about her, don't ya?" Jonouchi noted.

Yugi nodded. "I still do."

"You can talk about it later Yugi." Honda replied, "Right now we have to get that sample!" The Prince of Kyoki wiped away the remaining tears and stood up to watch as the Telekinesis wielder approached the rose bush. His eyes scanned the many flowers before him. "Now let's see, which one should I get for my Aunt? Hmmmm…" Finally, he spotted a particularly large and gorgeous red rose. "Ah! Perfect!" Quickly he plucked the rose, careful not to lose a single petal. Then he lifted his Video Phone and entered the code to call his aunt. "Aunt Julie! I got it!" he stated once the pretty scientist appeared onscreen, "I got the Rosa Gallica!"

"You did?" Julie gasped, "Well what are you waiting for? Hurry back to my lab and send it through the pneumo!"

"Got it!" Honda replied, ending the call. Suddenly, Blossom shrieked in terror and clung to her master in a fetal position.

"Oh! Dear Blossom!" Pegasus stated, petting his precious robot doll. "Easy now, we won't let them hurt you." Beta bellowed a whale call to give a similar warning.

"This doesn't sound good!" Anzu muttered, "By the way Blossom is acting, the splicers must have caught up with us!"

"Mai, do you have any more data on that camera of yours?" Varon asked.

"Sure do, look at this!" Mai answered, once again showing the contents of her digital research camera, "It talks about the thug splicer!"

_**Thug Splicer**_

_**The thug splicer is the melee fighter of splicerkind, due to the fact that they are unable to make use of ranged weapons. Some use no weapons at all. The common thug splicer is the weakest of their kind, and to an extent, the weakest of all splicers. But do not underestimate them. They are still a force to be reckoned with, especially in large groups.**_

"THERE!" bellowed a voice from a cave. Everyone turned toward the source and found a large group of thug splicers at the mouth of the many caves. One of them pointed toward the team. "THEY ARE THE POISON!"

"KILL THEM!" shouted another splicer, waving his lead pipe, "KILL THE POISON!" With that, the mob rushed down toward the friends by the rose bush, waving their weapons wildly. Mai's Cyclone traps were well placed, and many splicers were sent flying by powerful winds. But even so, the mob continued to multiply.

"Why are you just standing there?" Kaiba shouted, "Let's take them down!"

"No! We don't have time to fight them all!" Atem retorted.

"Allow me to distract them!" Yugi suggested, and took his fighter's stance. "MULTIPLE CLONE!" Six illusional duplicates of himself materialized in a flash and with card weapons in hand, they sprung to action.

"So that's Yugi's Overdrive Ability! Not too shabby!" mused a highly impressed Jonouchi.

"This is not the time to admire plasmids!" Mai exclaimed, "Hurry back up so we can get out of here!" Quickly, she activated her Cyclone plasmid to create four whirlwinds.

"After you buddy!" Jonouchi stated to Atem, and although he was unsure about what would happen, the Bolt wielder stepped onto one of the small cyclones. The cyclone under his feet powered up instantly, but in comparison to its trap mode, it wasn't a sudden burst. Soon the wind became strong enough to lift him upward like an elevator. Atem couldn't help but be amazed by this plasmid. Once the Bolt wielder was safely on high ground, Yugi sped over and took his turn boarding the tornado 'elevator'. When Jonouchi activated his tornado Honda noticed that some of the League leader's clones were quickly vanishing. Then he saw something worse.

"Don't look now, but I think the splicers are starting to take the stairs, and taking it fast!" Honda warned. He rushed over to his 'elevator', but a thug splicer wielding a dagger leapt up toward him from behind. The Telekinesis wielder dodged the attack just in time, but the dagger struck his oxygen tank, creating a scratch on its surface as he went up. Half of the mob was halfway up the unstable stairway when Honda reached his friends, and he was ready. "TITAN MIND GRIP!" In a flash, he used his Overdrive Ability to detach the suspended stairway and fling it backward, sending several splicer crashing back into the ground. Angry shouts echoed from the bottom of the Waterfall Grotto, but now the thug mob had nowhere to go.

"Honda!" Amelda gasped, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Honda replied, "One of them got my oxygen tank, but I don't think the damage is that significant. Let's get out of here!"

"C'mon Kaiba!" Raphael shouted, "These splicers aren't worth your time!" Growling in frustration, Kaiba joined the rest of the team and together they sped back to the laboratory.

* * *

Once they reached the outside of Langford Laboratory, Honda busied himself carefully packing his rose sample. "C'mon Mate, hurry up!" Varon whined impatiently, "The lab is on lockdown and if you don't send that rose soon we'll never get in!"

"Chill! I'm trying to set this up so the pneumo doesn't harm the sample." Honda explained, "This rose is a beauty after all, and if it's damaged in any way my aunt would have a fit!" Finally he secured his prized in a durable capsule. "Well, here goes." Carefully, he sent the sample through the pneumo. Since he was outside his aunt's lab, he had no need for his Video Phone. Her face appeared on TV screens hanging above the door. "Aunt Julie! We're back, and I've sent the sample through the pneumo just like you asked me!"

"About time!" Julie replied enthusiastically. She retrieved the capsule and opened it up. The moment she saw the rose, her face lit up with excitement. "Yes… this is perfect! Hold on just a minute!" The screen flickered off immediately. After a moment of waiting, the metal door began to slide upward. Before long, Julie Langford was standing right in front of them with a confident smirk. "Welcome to the Langford Laboratory! C'mon in and make yourselves at home. Bring your Big Daddy too, he's always welcome here."

"Thanks for helping us out Aunt Julie." Honda stated, giving his aunt a big hug.

"Just doing you a big favor." Julie replied with a wink when she broke the embrace. Honda turned around to face his friends.

"Come on in guys! I'll show you around!" The team stepped inside the lab. The office was a cozy space compared to the rest of the city, a fact that Atem and Jonouchi found refreshing.

"Nice place you got there Julie." Jonouchi complemented.

"Thanks," Julie answered, "I've worked hard to keep those splicer idiots from barging in. Sure, it's got a huge leak in one room, but the barrier is stable enough to keep out the overall seawater." She pushed a button to open yet another door. Inside, The laboratory was dotted with flasks and beakers filled with chemicals, and there were even ferns and other plants. Everyone was relieved to see that those plants escaped the poison cloud as well. There were also turrets in several corners, as well as some other scientists and biologists busy with their stations. Surveying the lab was a certain old professor and his granddaughter.

"Dr. Langford!" Hawkins greeted, "I see you've brought some guests to the Lab!"

"Nice to see you again Professor Hawkins." Atem replied.

The old professor smiled. "Same to you!"

"Grandpa!" Rebecca squealed, "Look who's here!" And she ran over to Yugi and gave him a big hug. The Prince of Kyoki blushed profusely, and Anzu was glaring in… is it jealously? Hawkins gasped in amazement.

"Well I'll be!" he gasped, and he began to laugh heartily. "If it isn't the rebellious son of Ryu Mutou!" Once again, he faced Atem. "Now that I think about, there is a strong resemblance between the two of you."

"I wish we could do some idle chat Professor, but right now we got some serious business to conduct." Julie stated.

"Oh right! Your assistants told me about what happened to Arcadia! I presume these heroes are here to save it, correct?"

"That right… but they won't do it without my help." Julie turned her attention to the team. Some of them are eyeing the turrets warily. "You don't have to worry about those turrets: they work for the lab. But security aside, I want you to pay attention. I know just the thing that can revive those trees and therefore save Kyoki and the Safehouses from what will become the ultimate disaster. On the surface, my family has a reputation of killing trees since the 20th century, and all for many different reasons, whether it's to keep the national parks in overall good health or to scare enemy lines in Vietnam. But it's my lifelong dream to actually bring trees back from grave! And now I've finally did it! Soon I'm going to build my first damn Frankentree!"

"But how?" Anzu asked.

Again Julie winked. "With the top secret invention that is my pride and joy! When I first thought it up I was hoping that it would bring my career back from the dead as well, but you know about necessity! I call this baby… the Lazarus Vector!"

Honda had a look of confusion written all over his face. "Lazzer-what?"

"Lazarus Vector, you nimrod!" Julie scolded her nephew, "Seriously, you need that Clever Inventor gene tonic… Anyway, come with me to the main office. I have some top secret information I want to share with you."

"S-sure." Honda replied and turned to his friends. "I'll be right back everyone." With that the Telekinesis wielder followed his aunt down the hallway to a separate laboratory with a window that gives a view from the inside. This lab had a large tube-like device in front of another window, revealing the view of Arcadia and its now-dead trees. By it was a machine on the wall with the label, 'U-Invent'. "All right Aunt Julie, tell me about the Vector. If we're to save Arcadia I need to know its progress."

Julie sighed happily. "It's times like this that I'm glad that there are survivors in this city that have retained their sanity. I mean, what's the point of being a goddamn genius if the only people around the appreciate it are a bunch of spliced up **morons**! As of today, I have cracked the Vector! Or at least I was 99 percent certain I have. That's why I needed the Rosa Gallica to confirm my analysis! And thanks to you Honda, my certainty is now 100 percent!"

"That's great! Let's get this thing set up!"

"Not so fast! We still have to gather the main ingredients."

"Ingredients?" Honda gasped in surprise, "What are the ingredients?"

"I'll tell you. This is really important, so pay attention. The Lazarus Vector consists of three main ingredients: distilled water, a bit of chlorophyll, and enzymes extracted from the Apis Mellifera."

"Apis Melli—hey, wait a minute! You mean-"

"That's right Sweet Cheeks, honeybee spit!"

"How much of these ingredients do we need?" Honda asked.

"The exact amount needed to make the Vector depends on the size and number of the plant life involved. And since we're dealing with an entire forest,"—she held up a palm and two fingers—"seven is the lucky number! We need seven bottles of distilled water, seven eye-drops containing the enzymes, and seven flasks of chlorophyll!"

Honda paused for a minute. "You know, I was wondering why you told me to get the chlorophyll when we were in that cave, but now it just made sense!"

"Exactly! How many flasks of chlorophyll did you find?"

"Six. I only got one more to find."

"Good job Sweet Cheeks!" Julie praised, "But retrieving the other two ingredients won't be easy. They're not even located in Arcadia! There's a safe in this laboratory that contains the list of ingredients as well as the key to the old Farmer's Market. The combination is-" Suddenly there was a noise echoing in the whole lab, sounding like a microphone being set up. Soon a familiar voice began to speak.

"_**Julie… we made a business deal, you and I.**_"

"You!" Julie barked in rage.

* * *

"_**Did money and family change all that? Let me tell you the terms of the agreement we drew up.**_" The team and the scientists all froze on the spot when they heard that voice.

"It's my father!" Yugi gasped.

"Damn it! How did he get on?" Kaiba barked.

"Well one thing's for sure: Julie and Honda are in trouble!" Yugi replied hurriedly, "We have to hurry!" He sped ahead of the team as fast as his legs could carry him. The others were not so far behind.

* * *

"_**Section 3, Subsection 4… Mutou Industries maintains exclusive rights to the creation, use and exploitation of the Lazarus Vector.**_"

"What the hell is he talking about?" Honda demanded.

"That's why this invention had to be kept top secret Honda!" Julie explained hurriedly, "In order for this invention to go underway, I had to strike a bargain with that bastard Mutou and sell the patent!"

"WHAT?" Honda exclaimed in shock.

"_**Ownership is civilization Julie…**_" Mutou stated from the microphone, "_**Without it, we'd be nothing more than… primitive **__**Neanderthals**__**.**_"

"Honda! Julie!" Yugi shouted from the hallway.

"_**Oh no you don't!**_" Mutou stated, and locked the door to the laboratory shut before his son could reach it.

"NOO! FATHER, OPEN THAT DOOR!" Yugi screamed as he slammed the metal door in front of him.

"**_I will not let you interfere with me this time Yugi!_**" Mutou replied with distain in his voice. "_**Let this be a lesson to you!**_" Suddenly the lab within began to fill up with a green cloud of poison gas! And it was filling up fast!

"Damn it!" Julie shouted, "Honda, get the oxygen ready!" Immediately the pretty scientist went over to retrieve her tank of emergency oxygen. Honda put the oxygen mask back over his mouth, but when he pushed the button to bring in the oxygen, his tank suddenly exploded, releasing all the unused oxygen and dispersing it into the toxic air.

"NO!" Honda exclaimed. It wasn't long before he began a coughing fit.

"HONDA!" Yugi screamed before the window fogged up with a green mist.

Already the Telekinesis wielder began to grow weak from the poison air. Suddenly, Julie removed the destroyed oxygen tank from Honda's back. "Here! Take mine!" she coughed, strapping her own oxygen tank onto her nephew and pulling of the mask.

Honda's eyes widened with horror. "But Aunt Julie! _Cough, cough!_ Without your tank, the poison gas will kill you!"

"I don't care! _Cough!_" Julie strained to reply, "That bastard has already taken my precious trees! I won't let him take you too!"

"Aunt Julie!" Honda protested before his aunt shoved the oxygen mask into his face and pushed the button. Mists of clean air spewed from the valve, allowing the mask to filtrate the air that her nephew was breathing. When that was done the pretty scientist collapsed onto the floor, the poison gas overwhelming her. She crawled over to the window. "Aunt Julie!" Honda repeated in horror as Julie struggled to pull herself to the window. Then she began to write something on the fogged window with her finger.

"Look here…" she instructed even as she was weakening, "this is… the combination that unlocks the safe." As she continued to write, the numbers soon became clear: 9457. "It's up to you now Honda… create the Lazarus Vector in my place… save Arcadia… save Kyoki… _cough, cough_… so that my death… will not be…_cough_… in vain…!" And as she finished writing the last number on the window, she dropped to the floor and breathed her last. Tears misted in Honda's terrified eyes.

"**AUNT JUULIEEEEEEE!**"

Note: Oh no! Julie Langford is dead! Now it's up to Honda and his friends to retrieve the ingredients of the Lazarus Vector! Will they succeed? Find out on the next chapter of Plasmashock! BTW, remember when I told you about replacing Andrew Ryan with 'Ryu Mutou' because of a certain twist in the story? Well, now you know the twist! And his name is Yugi Mutou! But the twists don't end here, so stay tuned! Until next time!


	26. Chapter 26

Note: Oh yeah! I got my newest chapter up! and best of all, I finally got some reviews! Thank you and Keep at it! They encourage me a whole lot! And Master Rainwalker, I hope you're reading this too! Anyway, our heroes are faced with a new mission: to retrieve the ingredients of the Lazarus Vector. A piece of Kaiba's past is revealed, and it's not very pretty. What happens next? Read to find out! Enjoy!

**Chapter 26: Journey to the Farmer's Market**

"Honda! Julie!" Atem shouted as he and the others arrived outside the lab.

"Dr. Langford!" Hawkins exclaimed in concern. They all found Yugi banging desperately on the metal door.

"DAMN YOU!" Yugi cried, "**DAMN YOU!**" Right at that moment the door opened, releasing what was left of the poison gas into the air. The leader of the Mermaid League backed away in a coughing fit.

"Yugi!" Atem hollered, dragging his doppelganger toward him. "Yugi, are you all right?"

Yugi coughed once before he answered, "I'm fine… Thanks."

"Thank heavens the poison gas is losing its effect now!" Pegasus noted, "It could easily kill anyone in a space that small however." As soon as he finished speaking however, heartbroken cries became more audible.

"Honda!" Mai gasped, and soon everyone ran inside. The Telekinesis wielder was kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Honda! You're all right!" Anzu gasped in relief.

"All right? ALL RIGHT?" Honda cried bitterly, "HOW CAN I BE ALL RIGHT? **I LOST MY AUNT JULIE!**" It was then that the others saw what the Telekinesis wielder was talking about.

Cradled in his arms was the corpse of Julie Langford.

"My God!" Raphael gasped. "I don't believe this!"

"My oxygen tank exploded…she died saving my life!" Honda wept, lifting his aunt's body. "If only I replaced that tank before it all happened!"

"Hey cheer up man!" Jonouchi reassured, "Is there a Vita-Chamber thing somewhere around here?" Honda lifted his head and stared at the sandy blonde with wide eyes.

"…Yeah! It's in the main lab!"

"Of course!" Mai stated, "Ryouta's father said something about Vita-Chambers having the ability to raise people from the dead!"

"But Mai, he also said it can work only on specific individuals." Atem reminded.

"If that's the case, then maybe Julie's one of them!" Jonouchi noted with a smile, "We don't know unless we try."

Honda wiped the tears. "You're right. Let's head to the Vita-Chamber." And so the team headed back to the main lab, with Honda carrying his dead aunt. In the place where a pool had formed from the leak, the Vita-Chamber stood like a beacon in the wall. Hawkins pushed the button to open the Chamber, and Honda carefully placed Julie's body inside. She looked like a floating angel with a lab coat from within, surrounded by the streak of blue energy. "Well, here goes." And with that, the Telekinesis wielder pushed the button that shut the tube and activated the scanner on the computer. For a moment, everyone held their breath as the blue energy waves traveled up and down the body. Finally, a message appeared on the computer screen.

"_**Scan Complete.**_"

The energy waves stopped moving altogether and the Vita-Chamber's futuristic door slid open. The body of the pretty scientist slowly slumped out and Honda caught it. There was no movement, no sign of life.

"That's it?" Varon asked. Amelda stepped forward and placed two fingers on the neck of the scientist.

"It didn't work…there's no pulse…" the androgynous Agent confirmed sadly. "Julie is really gone. There's nothing we can do." Those words hit Honda especially hard, and once more his eyes were filled with tears of sorrow.

"No… no, it can't be!" Honda cried, "It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!" The Telekinesis wielder ripped the oxygen mask off his face. Then he simply broke down on the spot and wept, mourning the loss of his aunt.

"I knew it." Jonouchi muttered bitterly, "That thing must have been broken…"

"Nope. I don't think so." Anzu confirmed.

"Well then I guess that means all those Vita-Chambers really don't have the ability to raise the dead after all!"

"Of course they has the ability to raise the dead, Mutt!" Kaiba blurted out in anger, "It may not have worked on Langford, but it definitely worked on me!"

"How would you know that?" Jonouchi barked back.

"Because _**my**_** father** created these Vita-Chambers—and _**I**_ was his fucking guinea pig!"

The others stared at Kaiba in shock. "Your father…?" Pegasus stated.

"Yes, my birth father… Dr. Yi Suchong!" With the notable exception of Yugi, the entire team gasped.

Atem's eyes widened in horror. _Suchong?_

"Suchong?" Jonouchi gasped, "Y-you mean the guy who created all those plasmids?"

"…So you heard of that bastard." Kaiba noted.

"B-b-but that means Kaiba isn't your real last name!"

The Splicer Killer nodded. "You're pretty smart for a dog."—Jonouchi growled once more at the dog insult—"The name Kaiba is more of a middle name to me. It's also the middle name of my little brother, Mokuba Suchong." He took his card-shaped pendant and opened it up, revealing it to be a locket. Inside were photos of Kaiba and Mokuba from when they were very small. "I tried my very best to protect him… But when the Kyoki Wars got started… our father…" He couldn't finish his sentence, and tears began to flow down his cheeks as he shut the locket. For a moment, there was silence.

"You… really hate your father, don't you?" Mai noted.

"Hate him?" Kaiba snapped, "I DESPISED THAT FUCK!" He paused for a minute before he continued, "I admit, I don't remember much about my early childhood. But ever since the 2002 Shootout, my life was a living hell. I had every reason to be afraid of my father. He conducted a lot of experiments on me. He injected a lot of plasmids into my body. Some were among his latest creations. There were also many times he would force me to do things… like fight against certain people for example. One time I was even forced to… shoot Mokuba on the shoulder. I'm still amazed that he forgave me for doing that to him… but that's beside the point. Now I know what you're going to say next: 'Kaiba, why didn't you stand up to your father?' Well I'll tell you why: It's because I couldn't! I couldn't help but do whatever he told me to do! And I still don't know why!" Again Kaiba paused to compose himself. "And that was the case when Ryu Mutou made the commission to my father to create the Vita-Chambers during the early stages of the Second Kyoki War. For me, the testing of those Chambers was the worst of all my worst nightmares. His assistants tied me to the table, and that bastard gave me the command to hold still. Then he lifted up this massive drill and turned it on. I still remember the intense pain I felt when that drill ground my skull to pieces, and how my vision became red, then faded to black. After that, all my senses shut down. When I got them all back, I found myself staring at the backs of my father and his assistants… then I found myself staring down at my own body, my own face—or rather, large gaping hole where my face used to be! It was at that moment that I knew I was dead. I watched as the scientists took my corpse into the Vita-Chamber, watched with morbid fascination as that thing reconstructed my face, restoring it to such perfection that it was as if the drill had never even came near to my face in the first place! Then suddenly I felt myself being pulled back to my body. The next thing I know, I woke up inside the Chamber. Do you know how many times I went through that ordeal? FIVE! My father killed me five times the same way, and each and every time I came back to life in full health! Do you have any fucking doubts about the Vita-Chamber's resurrection ability NOW?"

Everyone was truly stunned at the story that they had just heard. Jonouchi stared bug-eyed at the Splicer Killer and stuttered, "I-I-I can't say I do…"

"That's terrible Kaiba! I didn't know Suchong actually did those things to you!" Yugi stated.

"That's why I'm happy he's dead now." Kaiba explained, "But just when I thought it's all over I discovered that he converted Mokuba into a Scavenger prior to his demise. By the time I found out about it, Mutou had already sent him to wander the streets in search of Nagi. I've been searching him out and protecting him ever since."

Suddenly Atem's Video Phone emitted its signal. Quickly the Bolt wielder answered the call. "What the hell is going on?" Raiden demanded from the screen. "What just happened?"

"Well Raiden, I got some bad news." Atem replied and turned the Video Phone toward Honda and his dead aunt. "Mutou just killed Julie Langford."

"Damn it!" Raiden barked, "Every time we get one step ahead, Mutou takes the finish line and puts it on the other side of the track!"

"At least she left us with the one thing that can revive the trees." Atem noted, turning toward his grieving friend. "Isn't that right Honda?"

Honda lifted his head up. "Yeah… the recipe for the Lazarus Vector!"

"**It's up to ****you**** now Honda… create the Lazarus Vector in my place… save Arcadia… save Kyoki… **_**cough, cough**_**… so that my death… will ****not**** be…**_**cough**_**… in vain!"**

"Right before she died, she wrote down some numbers on the window when it got all fogged up. They make up the combination that opens a safe containing a list of the ingredients, and a key to the old Farmer's Market."

"So you're saying we have to gather up the ingredients and make the Vector ourselves?" Anzu asked the Telekinesis wielder.

"It may be our only chance." Raiden answered, "Get to it then."

"We'll do." Atem replied before he ended the call. "Honda, take us back to the main office."

"Right!" Honda answered. Carefully he laid his dead aunt down in the water. "Aunt Julie… I'll do what you ask of me. I'll make the Lazarus Vector and use it to revive the forests. I swear I'll make you proud! I promise you that!" With that done, he rose to his feet and led the others back to the main office. Once there, they stared at the numbers written on the window.

"So this is the combination of the safe, huh?" Jonouchi mused, "The question is, where's the safe?"

"I don't know." Honda admitted, looking around the office, "I don't see anything in this place that even resembles a safe." Beta suddenly a whale moan that held a hint of interest.

"What did you find Beta?" Anzu asked her Hunter, and in reply he pointed a wall behind the team. They all looked and saw a beautiful landscape painting.

"Hmmm…" Hawkins mused, "This is a fine painting she's got."

"But now's not the time to be admiring art Mr. Bubbles!" Rebecca added hastily, "We need to save the trees!"

Blossom immediately gasped. "Wait a minute!" She made a quick scan of the painting and the resulting data was nothing less than astonishing. "There's something behind that painting!" Surprised, Honda went over take a look. He was even more surprised when the piece of art swung to the side like a cupboard. Right behind it was a securely locked safe, complete with a keypad!

"Good work, my dear Blossom!" praised Pegasus.

"It appears that Julie was even smarter than we realize." Raphael mused, "We didn't even know that safe was behind there!" Honda, meanwhile, did not hesitate to enter the code that his aunt had revealed to him. Once the machine made a beep to confirm that it was unlocked, he swung it open. Inside was a piece of paper, listing the recipe for the Lazarus Vector, a gold colored key card with the words 'Farmer's Market Key' written on them, and a bottle with what appeared to be yellow liquid inside. Honda gasped in amazement.

"What'd you find mate?" Varon asked.

"Is that what I think it is?" Honda stated, taking the bottle out for a closer look. "It is! It's the Clever Inventor gene tonic!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Jonouchi encouraged, "Equip that tonic so you can get smart enough to make that Vector thing!"

"Shut your trap Jonouchi!" Honda barked as he prepared the syringe. Once the gene tonic was ready, he injected it into himself. He winced as if in slight pain, then his expression grew calm. Soon he opened his eyes and turned toward the team. "Let's go."

"Professor Hawkins," Atem requested, "You don't mind staying here at the lab do you?"

"Not at all," replied the old professor, "Someone needs to keep watch over this place."

Rebecca stepped toward the Prince of Kyoki with a smile. "Good luck Yugi! And be careful!" she chirped and gave him a kiss on the cheek, once again earning a glare from Anzu.

"Relax Hon." Mai reassured the diplomatic protector, "Rebecca's just a small kid. Besides, Yugi's not interested in her anyway." As if to confirm Mai's words, Yugi blushed furiously when he laid eyes on Anzu.

"We have no time to waste!" Atem stated, "To the Farmer's Market!" And quickly the team sped out, leaving Hawkins and Rebecca behind.

* * *

A dead leaf fluttered downward, floating over the team as they followed the pathways. "You know, when I planned to take a walk in the woods, this is not what I had in mind." Anzu admitted, referring to the withered surroundings.

"I understand exactly what you mean Miss Anzu." Pegasus replied, "It's terrible that this beautiful forest was reduced to a wasteland under the sea."

"Hopefully we'll find all the ingredients to the Lazarus Vector so we can undo the damage my father had done." Yugi noted. He looked downward with a sad expression on his face.

"What's wrong Yugi?" Atem asked.

"I can't help but feel that all this is my fault." Yugi answered, "First the forests of Arcadia, now Julie Langford. And it's all because I'm the son of Ryu Mutou." He faced the Bolt wielder with sad eyes. "Perhaps… It would be best if you and the others had never met me."

"Don't say that Yugi!" Atem stated, "Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me since I came to Kyoki!"

"That's right!" Jonouchi agreed, placing a hand on the shoulder of his new friend, "Think of all the good things that happened because of you. Without you, the survivors in the Safehouses would have no one to turn to!"

"Yeah Yugi," Honda added with a smile, "You proved many time over that you're nothing like your father. So stop putting yourself down like that!"

Yugi gave a small smile. "Thanks a lot guys."

"By the way Honda," Atem asked, "How many ingredients do we need to make this Lazarus Vector? And how much of each ingredient?"

"We only need three ingredients," Honda replied, holding up the list. "And Aunt Julie said that we need seven of each one in order to revive the whole forest. So far we have six flasks of chlorophyll and we've yet to find the distilled water and the bee enzymes. Once we get to the old Farmer's Market, we'll need to find some clues to each of their whereabouts."

"HELP!" A panicked voice cried from the hallway they were approaching, "IT'S THOSE FUCKIN' FANATICS!"

"Sounds like someone's in danger!" Varon exclaimed, "Hurry!" The others sped toward the source of the cries, which was coming from an arched gateway leading to a courtyard. Once there, they saw a man surrounded by fires lumbering toward them. But it soon became obvious that for that innocent man, it was already too late: he slumped lifeless to the ground at their feet.

"Daaamn!" Jonouchi stated in near horror, "That guy just got killed by a mage splicer!"

"But how can you be certain it's a mage splicer?" Mai asked.

"Some ordinary people never learn." Kaiba muttered, staring at the fresh corpse. "And it's a shame too. If they don't have the skills needed to fight those monsters, they shouldn't be wandering the main city alone." He was quickly interrupted by a wicked chuckle filling the hall.

"Wait!" Anzu gasped, "Did you hear that?" Beta moaned his whale call and lifted his rivet gun as once again, the green light in his helm turned blue.

"From what your Hunter is saying, it's coming from over there." Atem noted, pointing near the archway. There were four straw dummies hanging in different directions at the center.

"Uh, Atem?" Yugi asked, "Don't you think it's a little odd that there's a storm cloud hovering over us?" Indeed a gray cloud was floating toward the team from above.

"Eeek! Warning! Warning! Splicer Detected!" Blossom shrieked in fear.

"So it **is** a mage splicer!" Mai gasped, "And by the color of this one I'd say this must be a lightning mage! I have to get a picture!" As the violet-eyed shutterbug pulled up her camera, the 'cloud' struck lighting on the straw dummies one by one, causing each of them to burst into flame. Soon a voice echoed from the cloud.

"The Xibalbites don't take kindly to strangers!"

Quickly the mage splicer materialized into view. Like the other mage splicers before her, she was dressed in tattered business clothes decorated with leaves, feathers and fur, along with a crude wooden mask that covered her hideously distorted face. Balls of lightning began to form in her open hands.

"I got the photo!" Mai announced, "Look at this!" And she showed the data to her friends.

_**Lightning Mage Splicer**_

_**As the name implies, the lightning mage splicer is the master of the Bolt plasmid. At lower levels, attacks of this mage splicer are similar to the fire mage and ice mage except that they become living lightning bolts. But unlike the other types of mage splicers, lightning mages can also attack while teleporting. At higher levels, they truly become a thunderstorm incarnate, able to summon a hailstorm of lightning. They are immune to lightning-based attacks.**_

"Wow! That mage splicer packs a punch!" Amelda gasped. He glared at his splicer opponent. "I suppose that make it all the more reason to blow her up!" With that, he threw his grenades. To his dismay, the splicer unleashed her lightning bolts onto the projectiles, destroying the grenades in midair. "NO WAY!" Amelda exclaimed. Before anyone could react further, the lightning mage shot toward the team, become a bolt of electricity.

Raphael shouted, "LOOK OUT!" He and Honda jumped sideways in different directions to dodge the bolt. The Telekinesis wielder did a graceful roll before taking a fighting stance on one knee.

"Aw man, that bitch is fast!" Honda muttered with a glare, and he aimed his pistol. His bullets managed to hit the splicer on the side before she activated her teleportation ability. The gray cloud floated in the midst of the fighters and crackled with electricity. In a flash, three separate lightning bolts each struck Atem, Kaiba, Jonouchi. Each one of them all screamed in sheer agony.

"ATEM! KAIBA! JONOUCHI!" Yugi screamed in horror. The others watched in equal shock as the three elemental Plasmunds slumped to the ground. Thankfully, the bolts were not powerful enough to be lethal, but it still dealt some damage.

"I don't understand it!" Atem muttered, staggering to his knees, "I have the Bolt plasmid! So why…?"

"That just shows… that you need an upgrade too." Kaiba answered, "You may be immune to your own lightning, but not to lightning from outside sources. That can only change with an upgrade. This is also true for wielders of Blaze and Blizzard."

"So that's why you didn't get frozen by the ice mage Kaiba!" Jonouchi stated, "That Sub-Zero thing of yours must have given you additional protection as well as give a power boost!" the sandy blonde suddenly gasped in realization. "If that's the case with all elemental plasmids, then that means I'm immune to fire thanks to my Human Torch upgrade!" The lightning mage materialized again, and the trio barely had enough time to dodge yet another plasmid attack.

"You know, I think it's time to put my new plasmid on Overdrive! Stand back people!" Mai shouted, lifting her fist. Her wind halos spun faster and her eyes began to glow. She wound her arms around her body like they were propellers. "PLASMA HURRICANE!" With one smooth motion, she thrust her arms outward and large gusts of wind gathered together to create the namesake of her Overdrive Ability: a massive hurricane. Like a living creature, the winds lifted the mage splicer up into the air before she got a chance to respond. And the enemy screamed in horror and agony as she was tossed into the surrounding walls again and again, like she was nothing more than a rag doll. "Jonouchi, I got her softened off! Get yourself together and finish her off!" The sandy blonde stood up, leaning on his sword. A look of determination was upon his face as the winds began to die down. Then with a loud battle cry, he leaped into the air and cleaved the weakened splicer in two. Jonouchi landed on his feet and struck a fighter's pose, while the two pieces of the corpse slammed to the ground from behind him.

He panted for a moment, then let out a sigh and fell to his knees. "That takes care of that creep."

"Way to go Jonouchi!" Anzu cheered. Seeing that the battle was over, Mai and Honda sped over to Atem, Jonouchi and Kaiba and got busy injecting the Nami serum.

"Thank you Mai." Atem sighed with a small smile, "You were a big help over there."

"No problem." Replied the violet-eyed shutterbug. Now healed, the Bolt wielder stood up to investigate on half of the severed splicer. Something was sticking out from the dead splicer's pocket.

"Honda!" Atem called, "You have something to check off your list."

"All right!" Honda cheered, taking his much-needed seventh and final flask of chlorophyll. "One ingredient down, two to go."

"And those ingredients are waiting for us in the old Farmer's Market straight ahead!" Yugi pointed out.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Varon replied, "Let's head on over there and get 'em!" Soon the team approached the locked gate.

"You do the honors, Honda." Raphael stated.

"Gladly." Honda answered, taking out the Farmer's Market key card and slid it into the open slot. The gate in turn unlocked itself and slid open. "Here we go." Just as the team stepped through and approached the metal doorway, Atem suddenly gasped, and once more clutched his head in pain. Once more, images of his memories on the farm filled his mind in rapid succession: Riding on one of his parents' oxen, feeding the chickens, and eating apples from on top of the apple tree with Jonouchi. Then the images vanished.

"Atem?" Jonouchi gasped, running to his childhood friend, "Atem, what's going on now?"

"The memories of my childhood on the surface… For some reason they keep coming back to me!" Atem answered in panicked confusion. "Oh Mother of Ra! Is this all a coincidence?"

"We can talk about it later Atem." Jonouchi noted, "Right now we need to start searching the place."

"Right." Agreed Atem. And so the team continued onward.

* * *

The old Farmer's Market was truly a shadow of its former self. The stalls were in disrepair, moist with the misty seawater and stained with blood. Everywhere one would look, there was spoiled produce long forgotten, from moldy cheese to rotten meat and everything in between. On one of the empty stalls sat a certain hacker with silver white hair, his body dotted with the blue globs of his Security Target plasmid. In one hand he held the bloody still-beating heart of his latest victim, and he gnawed on it like it was a piece of fruit. In the other was a video diary he just found, and after he comfortably seated himself, he pushed 'play'. The face of Ryu Mutou appeared on screen. "_**Take a look at this.**_" Mutou stated in front of the camera, directing it toward the subject of his entry: a Hunter with his Scavenger. "_**See those two? There are so many like them that are wandering the streets for Nagi. And I was partially responsible for the latest generation made in Point Prometheus.**_" The camera shifted back to Mutou, who let out a sigh. "_**I still remember my first encounter with the first pair… He, a lumbering brute in a foul-smelling 1950's diving suit, and she, a pitifully unwashed moppet in a filthy pink dress. Her pallor was off, gray and morbid… And now all those children that came after her…with their long needles, their wandering daydreams, their… ghastly errands… their older warrior siblings… and their ghoulish Frankenstein mothers and fathers…**_" He paused again to let out a thoughtful sigh, wiping the sweat off his brow. "_**Throughout the history of this city, many of us had placed our hand on the Great Chain of endeavor. My hand was on it. Yugi's was on it. Even the hand of Dartz was on it in the past, although he twisted it for his own selfish gain. But my point is, we all pull it and are pulled by it in return. Yes, there are some **__**heartless**__** individuals who would **__**dare**__** to call these children abominations. But it's not my hand alone on the chain that created them, no! Their little fingers were right there, next to mine. But the plasmid business that made a link in this Great Chain is not the only reason I paired them with their monstrous guardians… It's also because I love them, just as **__**deeply**__** as I love every other child, including my own son. And I **__**don't**__** want to see them get hurt.**_" The 'movie' ended soon after.

"Heh… so much for protecting your little brats Mutou." Bakura chuckled, taking another bite of the heart. "All you did was place them right into my grasp. They really fit in well with my overall plan."

Suddenly, he heard a voice coming from the entrance of the now-abandoned market. "Man, get a load of the smell! It stinks like mold in here!"

"Uh-oh." Bakura mused, casually dropping the remains of the heart. "Looks like my pawns are coming. Heh, heh, heh… More playtime on my part." He sported a wicked grin. Quickly, he took his bottled water and poured some on his face and hands, washing off the blood. "Don't want them to get too suspicious…" Soon he heard footsteps echoing in the empty market. Atem and his companions stepped into view.

"Well, it doesn't surprise me that there's a particularly bad odor Jonouchi." Anzu replied to the sandy blonde's previous comment, "This was a farmer's market before the 2006 New Years Attack."

"Yeah, but that's no excuse to leave behind all that fresh food!" Jonouchi retorted.

"Hey, WAZZUP?" Bakura shouted enthusiastically, grabbing everyone's attention. "I was starting to miss you guys!"

"Bakura!" Atem gasped. "Is that really you? Where the hell have you been?"

"I've been, uh, wandering around the city, nothing more. Anyway, I see you got some more friends to watch your back. Especially the famous Prince Yugi… Now that I look at you two, you really do resemble each other." Bakura replied, "So what brings you all the way to this place?"

"It's rather complicated, Bakura." Honda answered, "We're here to get some ingredients for the Lazarus Vector. We've already got one off the list. Now all we need is distilled water and bee enzymes."

"That's it?" Bakura mused, "Hmmm… I think I got something that could help you out." Reaching into his pouch, the hacker took out two video diaries. "Here, catch!" With that, he tossed them to the Bolt wielder and his doppelganger.

"W-wha?" Yugi stuttered, "But which one should we watch first?"

"Pick whatever you want. You can play the second one later." Bakura replied bluntly.

"All right." Jonouchi stated, "Then let's plaaaay… this one!" The sandy blonde's finger was pointing to the video diary held by Yugi, so the Prince of Kyoki pushed play while everyone watched. It wasn't long before a boy with short blue-green hair and glasses appeared on the screen. From what they can see, this guy was very angry.

"_**Listen Julie, I'm trying to run the family business here! You wanna spend time with my beautiful honeybees? Well then, I'M GONNA HAVE TO START CHARGIN' YA FOR THE PLEASURE!**_" The boy gave a really scary close-up on the screen as he yelled, before backing away to continue, "_**As for your question, yeah, my days of taking bee keeping lessons are a bit blurry, but I clearly remember something about that enzyme you keep yakking about… BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER! If I come over here one more time and catch you **__**or**__** your nephew wandering among my precious hives, I'M GONNA GET MY TIGER CLAWS…**_" Once again, the boy started giving his angry close-ups. "_**OR BETTER YET, I'LL SEND MY TRUSTY SWARM OF HORNETS TO REARRANGE YOUR FACE!**_" By then his bloodshot eyes were the only thing that could be seen onscreen, intimidating the onlookers. Thankfully, that was when the entry ended.

"The guy on this video diary goes by the name of Haga." Bakura explained smugly. "From what I found out, he works at the Goldwing Apiary here at the old Farmer's Market, and he's very protective of his bees and their hives—so much so that recently, he's become nothing less than paranoid. And considering the fact that he's not even a splicer, you might say it's scary."

"But since the enzymes we're looking for might still be at that apiary, we have to take that chance and go there." Amelda reasoned.

"Agreed." Honda replied.

"Then let's go to the Goldwing Apiary." Kaiba announced, "And when we get there, be prepared for anything!"

"You got it Kaiba Boy," Pegasus replied, "Lead the way Blossom!"

"Okie Dokie Master!" chirped the doll, going into radar mode, "The Goldwing Apiary is straight ahead, at the right-hand fork of the glass tunnel!" The rest of the team nodded before they sped down the marketplace.

Note: And that concludes this chapter of Plasmashock. In the next chapter, our heroes will attempt to retrieve the enzymes of the honeybee. But when they confront the paranoid beekeeper, they will discover in him their fiercest opponent yet! Will they overcome this tremendous obstacle? Until Next Time!


	27. Chapter 27

Note: Hi all you peeps! It was hard, but I finally got the Plasmashock chapter up! Keep it up with the reviews! Now on with the story!Our heroes now enter the place where they will find the next ingredient of the Lazarus Vector. But they would have to deal with a certain apiary owner to get it! Enjoy!

**Chapter 27: The Hives of Haga**

The moment the metal door to the Goldwing Apiary slid open, the team bore witness to yet another horrific sight. A large swarm of bees were attacking a hapless splicer, the latter screaming and flailing his arms in a failed attempt to swat them away. Eventually the stings were too much for the poor splicer; he collapsed onto to ground, dead as a doornail. Then suddenly, the bees flew right toward Honda!

"ACK! BEES!" yelped the Telekinesis wielder, breaking to a run. He sped around his friends in three circles, all with swarm flying in hot pursuit. "Get away from me! Get away!" After the third 'lap' around his teammates, the bees flew away from Honda and tried to attack Jonouchi!

"Hey! Get off!" Jonouchi barked, "Don't make me burn you!" Obviously the bees didn't listen. So as they tried to sting him, they ended up igniting into tiny balls of flame for a brief moment before their charred bodies fell to the ground, little by little. Even so, Jonouchi was jumping around to escape the diminishing swarm. It took him a while before he noticed that all his tiny attackers were dead. And when he did… "Uuuuh, okay."

"I suppose this must be what we have to watch out for when we get inside." Reasoned Anzu, and Beta moaned his whale call in agreement. When everyone stepped inside, they took in the sight of an empty honeybee hive, and several jars of honey. A few open jars had nearly all their contents spilled on the countertop, and the sweet sticky substance was slowly dripping all the way to the ground. Beyond that was an isolated room that contained a large number of beehives.

"You know," Varon stated, "I find it hard to believe that this apiary is still functioning after all that's happened."

Pegasus stepped toward the counter and scooped his index finger into the spilled honey. He gave it a lick. "Mmmm, this honey isn't so bad. It could use a little less of the impurities, though. I mean, with all the blood and sea water-"

"We get the point Pegasus." Kaiba interrupted bluntly, "Now let's search the place. Those enzymes could be anywhere."

"Honda, how will we know if we found what we're looking for?" Yugi asked.

"All the bee enzymes are contained in small eyedroppers," Honda answered, "And remember, we need seven of them so we can make the Lazarus Vector."

Mai frowned as she searched the shelves of honey. "Well, it's obviously not in here."

"Not here either." Raphael replied after looking under the countertop.

"Tch… looks like we have no choice." Bakura mused, "We'll have to search the beehives in the back."

Amelda glanced at the room beyond. "I don't know if it's a good idea. Look." Sure enough, there was a dangerous obstacle before them. The room was saturated with thousands of swarming bees, buzzing as loudly as a jet engine.

"Oh that's no problem." Bakura stated, "There's a little device over at the entrance that'll smoke out that swarm in seconds flat."

"Hmmm, you got a good point Bakura." Honda mused. "Why don't you work with the smoke device while I search the hives?"

"Sure thing!" Bakura agreed enthusiastically, and he rushed over to the device in question.

"Raphael, Amelda, Varon," Yugi stated to his fellow Mermaid Agents. "I want you to go with Honda. Help him search for the enzymes, and if necessary, fight off any attackers."

"Copy that." Raphael affirmed, and lifted his shotgun in preparation. He and his fellow Agents followed the Telekinesis wielder to the entrance of the hive room.

"Beta and I will cover you guys from the door." Anzu suggested, lifting her dart gun. Soon Bakura stepped past the others toward the device. He was grinning like a maniac when he laid his fingers on the switch.

"You ready to rumble?" the hacker asked.

"Ready when you are!" Honda answered.

"Alrighty then, let's get to it!" And with that, Bakura pulled the switch. Instantly, a misty smoke filled the hive room, and the bees dispersed until there was none to be found.

"Okay! Let's move! We've only got one minute before the bees come out again!" Honda commanded. Quickly, he and the three Mermaid Agents rushed inside. The Telekinesis wielder approached the first shelf that held one of many working hives. "It's not on top of the shelves." Honda noted, "I wonder…" He opened one shelf, and soon his lips curled into a confident smirk. "All right! JACKPOT!" He reached in and pulled out an eyedropper containing the golden-orange bee enzyme. It was not long before screams of rage echoed in the hive room—and Blossom screamed in terror.

"Heads up mate!" Varon shouted, lifting his flame thrower, "We got company!" Soon a mob of thug splicers ran in from doors located on the other side of the room. All were dressed in a modern farmer's attire, stained with blood. And the fancy animal masks didn't help much to hide their distorted faces, or the murderous rage they expressed as they waved their wrenches and lead pipes. Varon triggered his flame thrower and incinerated a vast majority of the enemy. Honda shot down the remaining splicers with his own rifle.

"Search inside the hives!" Honda exclaimed, "If I'm right, there could be more of them!"

So the Agents scattered throughout the hive room. They opened shelves one by one, searching thoroughly.

"Honda, I found one!" Amelda announced.

"Same here!" Raphael added, raising a third enzyme eyedropper.

"EEEEK! MORE SPLICERS!" Blossom cried, "THEY'RE COMING IN WAVES!" Right away, another mob of thug splicers burst into the scene. In addition to the 'farmers', there were also some who wore tattered soccer uniforms. Their exposed bodies displayed open sores and looked as if the skin was melting off.

"Shit! These monsters won't give up!" Raphael roared in frustrated anger and blasted some heads off with his shotgun.

"Maybe it's time for a little crowd control!" Amelda shouted and threw a grenade in the midst. The resulting explosion sent several splicers flying. Meanwhile, Anzu struck down a few others from a distance with her needle sharp darts. Beta lent his assistance as well, taking advantage of his sniping skills. By the time Varon found the fourth and fifth enzyme containers, the number of thug splicers in the attacking mob was reduced to exactly half. And there were exactly 25 seconds left on the clock.

"Woo-hoo! Only two more to go!" cheered the Aussie.

"Don't start cheering just yet!" Honda blurted, "Our little mob is getting some reinforcements!" Beta bellowed in frustration, the blue light flashing in his helmet.

"Beta has a point guys!" Anzu shouted, "There's too many of them!"

"C'mon, hurry up already!" Bakura barked, "You don't wanna get stung by bees, do ya?"

"The bees!" Honda gasped, "Bakura! You just gave me an idea." He faced his companions. "Stall the enemy until the five second mark!"

"Are you nuts?" Amelda blurted.

"Just trust me!" Honda answered before he stepped over to next undisturbed beehive.

"Fifteen seconds!" Bakura announced, even as another large splicer mob burst into the scene. Honda dug deep into the shelf, his hands getting sticky with honey. Until finally…

"YES!" Honda exclaimed in excitement, "Enzyme number six!"

"Ten seconds!" Bakura announced.

"Wait for it guys… 8… 7… 6… 5! MOVE OUT!" At the signal, the Mermaid Agent sped after the Telekinesis wielder as he rushed out of the hive room. The mob ran after them in hot pursuit—but not fast enough. The clock ran out, and with it the honeybee swarm buzzed back in to defend their hives.

By then, Honda and the three Mermaid Agents were safely outside.

"Well done Honda!" Atem praised as he watched the bees finish off the thugs.

"Very impressive!" Mai complimented, "I never thought to use the bees to our advantage like that!"

"Well, the time of the smoke device was running out." Honda explained, "We couldn't stay long enough to fight the thug splicers, so why not let the bees do what they do best?"

"Hey speaking of bees, how many of the enzymes did you get?" Jonouchi asked.

"Six." Honda replied, "We only need to find one more."

"In that case, I suppose it's round two in the hives." Pegasus reasoned, and through the dark sea of honeybees his eyes lit up. "Oh! There's a Power to the People Machine nearby! My machine gun could use a little upgrade."

"Let me put it in then." Honda suggested.

"Why thank you Honda." Pegasus stated pleasantly, and he handed his golden machine gun to the Telekinesis wielder.

"All right! Time for round two!" Bakura exclaimed with a grin, "Once again, you got one minute to find the last enzyme eyedropper. Make it count!" And with that, he pulled the switch again. Once the bees were gone, Honda, Raphael, Amelda and Varon all rushed back in. Quickly, Honda placed the golden machine gun into the Power to the People machine. However as soon as the whole group came to the center, they suddenly heard an angry voice bellowing out to them… and a very familiar voice for that matter.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY HONEY!"

"What the?" Honda shouted. Before anyone could react, a short boy with a familiar bowl haircut and thick glasses leapt out of nowhere onto one of the hive shelves. He wore a yellow-green jacket with a set of tacky dark yellow shorts, and the off-white socks and sneakers finished the obviously geeky look. In fact, the whole team would have laughed at him had he not sported the oversized Wolverine-style tiger claws. "Haga!" exclaimed the Telekinesis wielder in a mix of surprise and growing anger.

The boy, Haga, stared at the small group before he let out a mocking chuckle. "Hee hee hee hee… Well, if it isn't that nosy nephew of Julie the Enzyme Lady! You really think you can wander into my beautiful hives without payment?"

"We have an emergency in Arcadia, so I don't have the time or the money to deal with a crazy non-splicer like you!" Honda retorted, "Now leave us alone and let us search for the bee enzyme!"

"Oh!" Haga taunted, "You mean this?" Then to everyone's shock, he lifted up an eyedropper containing the vital ingredient, holding it between his thumb and index finger.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Honda shouted.

"It's just a fresh batch made in my own personal hive. They really prove to be quite useful when it comes to making arthritis medicine and a new line of plasmids."

"Well then listen Bee Boy," Honda demanded, "This enzyme is a vital part of my aunt's invention! Hand it over!"

"Sorry, no can do!" Haga chuckled, "Like all things made in the hives, these enzymes are the property of my honeybees." His expression soon became that of rage. "So if you want to get this treasure so badly, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST!" And with that, he leapt headfirst toward the Telekinesis wielder, his tiger claws poised to strike. Honda and Varon barely managed to jump away from the sharp claw-like blades. Incensed by the near miss, the crazed beekeeper charged at his target again. "DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY!" He swung a fist at Honda, and the claws managed to scratch the thigh. The Telekinesis wielder hissed in pain, but managed move away as Haga swung another fist at him. So instead, Haga got his right-hand tiger claws stuck on one of the nearby hives.

"Take cover!" Amelda shouted to his allies as he threw a grenade toward their opponent. Apparently Haga seemed to have seen it coming, so he lifted his trapped hand—and the hive with it, surprising everyone further. Then he tossed the hive into the projectile, thus negating the attack and destroying the hive in the process.

"ARRGH! NOW LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!" Haga roared, "YOU'LL REGRET THIS!" Immediately, he initiated a rotating attack and struck Amelda on the stomach.

"AMELDA!" Raphael exclaimed. His rage fueled, the muscular soldier aimed his shotgun and fired. Unfortunately, Haga simply deflected the incoming bullet.

"Is THAT all you got?" Haga taunted.

"Shit! It seems that despite his small size, he's a very good melee fighter!" Varon noted hastily. "There's no way we can shoot him down with our guns!"

"Then why not let the bees teach him a lesson?" Honda responded, "Bakura! How much time is left?"

"10 seconds!" answered the hacker.

"All right guys," Honda stated to his teammates, "You know the drill! 7… 6… 5! MOVE OUT!" Once again, the four enzyme hunters sped out of the hive room. They made it out at the very last second, just in time to watch the bees fill the room to the very brim.

"YEAH!" Varon cheered, "That bee boy is history!"

"Wait! Hold on!" Yugi gasped unexpectedly, "Something's not right!" Indeed, instead of the horrified screams that they expected…

There were cackles of sickening glee!

"What's going on?" Jonouchi asked in shock, "Does that creep have a death wish or something?"

"FAR FROM IT!" Haga's voice echoed triumphantly. Suddenly, the bees dispersed as if on their own volition.

"No way!" Anzu gasped, "He didn't get stung one bit!"

"Nice try Nosy!" Haga taunted with an evil grin, "I admit, it was very smart of you to use my bees to take down my good-for-nothing co-workers. But I, on the other hand, happen to have a secret weapon at my disposal!" The crazed beekeeper rolled up his sleeves, and in almost in an instant several bumps began to swell up on his body, including the forehead and the cheeks. And every bump seemed to move on its own accord!

"AAAH, GROSS!" Jonouchi blurted out in obvious disgust, "And I thought the Rage plasmid and its offshoots are nasty!"

"Hold up!" Mai gasped, then she blurted out to the hacker. "Bakura, you said that Haga is not a splicer!"

"He's not!" Bakura explained worriedly, "He's actually much worse!"

"What is he then?" Atem asked.

"He's a _Plasmund_!" Bakura answered.

"That's Riiii-iiiiight!" Haga replied, "As you can see, I'm one-hundred percent compatible with Nagi! Come after me if you dare!"

"I don't know what kind of plasmid you're using, but we'll make you eat those words!" Honda bellowed, "Let's get him!" With that, he and the three agents rushed inside to face him, their guns and grenades poised and ready.

"No!" Pegasus exclaimed, "Watch out!"

Haga merely chuckled to himself. He raised his arms upward. "Now my faithful swarm! ATTACK!" He then thrust his arms forward. Instantly, a large swarm of honeybees burst through the skin, and flew toward their targets in a concentrated attack. The four of them screamed, trying to swat the bees away. Several of them stung them mercilessly.

"Retreat!" Raphael shouted. Amelda, Varon and Honda didn't have to be told twice, and they quickly sped out of the hive room. Haga burst into cruel laughter as Mai and Anzu started injecting a great deal of Nami into their injured bodies.

"You see?" Haga stated, "This is the power of the Swarm plasmid! A Goldwing Apiary original, made popular by Mutou Industries! And the honeybee spit you're seeking is the main ingredient of this baby! And that's why I'm not in the mood to share with nosy trespassers like you!" The crazed beekeeper laughed again, allowing his precious swarm to fly around him. "Go on! Come and get me!"

"Ugh…" muttered a now healed Honda as he struggled to his feet. "That creep is good!"

"There's no fucking way we can get past those bees of his!" Varon stated.

"Then why not send in a couple of bug zappers to deal with him?" Kaiba suggested, and he turned toward Jonouchi. "And when I said 'bug zappers', I meant you and Atem, Mutt!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT, FRIDGE BOY!" Jonouchi barked.

"Kaiba's got a point!" Atem noted, "We have the kind of plasmids that can slay this swarm!"

"All right then, let's do this!" Jonouchi stated. Soon, he and Atem stepped quickly to the entrance of the hive room.

"Hey Nosy! You call those two reinforcements?" Haga taunted, "They don't stand a chance against my hive!"

"Ready Jonouchi?" Atem asked.

"Ready when you are!" Jonouchi replied.

"Kill them both! NOW!" Haga commanded his bees, and the swarm surged toward the two friends.

"GO!" Atem shouted. In a flash, he and the sandy blonde rushed head on inside, their own melee weapons lifted high. Every bee that came into contact with the two elemental Plasmunds were all either zapped by the Bolt or incinerated by the Blaze.

"WHAT?" Haga exclaimed, before he was suddenly knocked on the side like a baseball via the Bolt wielder's lead pipe quarterstaff. The beekeeper slammed into yet another hive, and he laid on the ground disoriented. Of course, that didn't last long before he saw Jonouchi's flaming sword coming right toward him. With a cowardly yelp, Haga slid himself backward; the sword slammed in front of him, missing him by an inch between his legs.

"All right Bug Boy, enough of your games!" Jonouchi demanded, "Hand over the enzyme if you know what's good for you!"

Haga simply gave them a piercing glare. "So you got the famous elemental plasmids of Bolt and Blaze. Guess I underestimated you…" He stood up, bowing down his head, his fists tightening. "But don't think you can beat me that easily! That will be a fatal mistake on your part!" The crazed beekeeper lifted his head, once again revealing the smile of a sadistic maniac. "Feast you eyes on my Overdrive Ability: the Super Hornet Swarm!" The moment he finished his sentence, the disgusting bumps that turned out to be egg sacs bulged into even larger proportions, about the size of golf balls! The eyes of Atem and Jonouchi widened in horror.

"Oh shit… that doesn't look good!" Atem muttered.

"You mean his body, or the bugs that are gonna come out of it?" Jonouchi asked.

Haga's chuckle soon escalated into mad laughter. "LOOK OUT! As they say in my favorite song, _**I'M BRINGING HOME SOME BAAAY-BEEE BUMBLE-BEEEEES!**_" He let in a deep breath… and with his exhalation came thousands of large hornets, joining with the ones that burst through his skin! It was not long before the super swarm surrounded the two friends, and it became equally clear to them that they were not dealing with ordinary hornets.

"YAAAH!" Jonouchi screamed, trying in vain to swat a few of the powerful insects off his skin, "THESE HORNETS ARE SUPPOSED TO BURN WHEN THEY TOUCH FIRE AND LIGHTNING!"

"PULL BACK!" Atem commanded in spite of five painful stings, "THEY CAN STILL BE EFFECTED FROM A DISTANCE!" The two of them ran as fast as they could away from the swarm, and activated the power of their plasmids to destroy the hornets that tried to pursue them. Unfortunately, they were still outnumbered.

"Damn it!" Honda cursed as he and the others watched, "That Haga is definitely a Plasmund! A mere splicer would never be able to do an Overdrive Ability like that!"

"And with so many of those powerful pests, our friends don't stand a chance!" Pegasus gasped.

"Atem! Jonouchi! Hang in there!" a worried Anzu shouted. Yugi simply glared, and suddenly he rushed forward. "Yugi!" Anzu exclaimed in shock.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mai exclaimed.

"I'm gonna help them out, that's what!" Yugi shouted in determined reply. Unseen by both sides of the battle, the League leader put his plan to motion. "Let's see if Haga can handle my swarm!"

"HA HA HA HA SAYONARA SUCKERS!" Haga laughed as his super hornets closed in on their targets. Suddenly six illusional Yugis materialized in front of Atem and Jonouchi. Seeing the new targets before them, the hornets all ditched their previous victims and attacked the decoys instead—thus proving that you can't rely entirely on brute force. Haga gaped in shock. "WHAT? HEY! DON'T ATTACK THE CLONES, ATTACK THE REAL PEOPLE! DO YOU HEAR ME? KILL THEM YOU STUPID BUGS!" The crazed beekeeper jumped up and down, arms flailing wildly in growing anger as he tried to direct his precious swarm.

But obviously, the strong but stupid hornets were not listening.

At the same time, Atem and Jonouchi stood gawking at the sight before them. But after a few seconds, they spun around to find Yugi right behind them. "Now's your chance guys!" he stated, "Get 'em while they're distracted!"

"But how?" Atem asked.

"Simple!" Yugi replied with a smirk.

"That's right!" Jonouchi stated confidently as he figured it out, "We fight fire with fire!" Filled with understanding, Atem also gave a confident smirk and nodded. He jumped up into the air, and allowed his Bolt plasmid to reach the Overdrive threshold.

"PLASMA BOLT!"

The sheer power of Atem's Overdrive Ability was enough to slay half of the hornet swarm. "Aieee!" Haga screamed in fear, "You killed me babies!"

"Here's my new Overdrive Ability, compliments of Human Torch!" Jonouchi exclaimed, lifting his sword until it pointed upward. The sword glowed with very intense heat, along with the coals from his Blaze plasmid.

"RAIN OF FIRE!"

In one swift movement, Jonouchi swung his sword to the ground, and with it a shower of great fireballs fell like meteors, blasting the rest of Haga's horde from the hives. The beekeeper in question let out a scream of horror as the fireballs plummeted into him, causing a spectacular explosion on impact. In fact, almost every hive ignited and burst to flames, threatening to destroy the whole place. "Hey Fridge Boy!" Jonouchi shouted to the Splicer Killer. "Do us a favor and extinguish the fire I just started!"

"Sure. In places like this I prefer to minimize property damage." Kaiba replied, calmly stepping in, "And don't call me Fridge Boy!" The machine on his right arm morphed into the drill, and he allowed his Blizzard plasmid to reach full power. "GLACIER WAVE!" Striking the ground, he once more summoned the geyser that froze and shattered into frost, extinguishing the fires and freezing almost everything.

Jonouchi whistled in awe of his surroundings. "I'm glad it's not me this time."

"So this is your Overdrive Ability." Atem mused to the Splicer Killer. "Not so bad, if I say so myself."

"Just wait for the ice to thaw." Kaiba suggested, "Then we can get that enzyme if it's still intact."

A few minutes later, the ice melted. Atem, Jonouchi, Yugi and Kaiba all approached the figure that now sprawled on the ground. Haga was pinned down by one of the hives; one arm was sticking out, and that arm held the vital ingredient, still intact after all that had occurred. "N-No fair!" Haga muttered angrily, "I perfected the plasmid!"

"I take it the bug boy's still alive." Jonouchi noted.

"True," Kaiba stated, "but we beat enough shit out of him that he's practically harmless—for now."

Atem simply stepped over and plucked the enzyme out of the beekeeper's hand. "Thank you Haga, we'll be taking this now." Then he, along with his friends, walked back to join the rest of their team. Along the way, Kaiba retrieved Pegasus' newly upgraded machine gun, which had a streamline design that heightened the accuracy of its shots.

"Hey!" Haga barked, 'robbed' of his precious enzyme, "G-give that back!" The team chose to ignore the beekeeper, much to the latter's growing frustration.

"Why thank you Kaiba Boy!" Pegasus stated when the Splicer Killer returned the golden weapon.

"Spare me the thanks." Kaiba replied. The plasmid merchant simply strapped his machine gun in its usual sheath.

"I've got the last enzyme Honda." Atem stated, giving the prize to the Telekinesis wielder.

"Thanks guys." Honda replied, "Let's get out of here." The whole team turned to leave the Apiary, Bakura included.

"HEY YOU! COME BACK HERE! I'M NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET!" Haga roared, trying in vain to pull himself free when he didn't have the strength to do so. "HELLOOOOO! I'M TALKING TO YOU!" But by then, his enemies had left the building. Haga grumbled to himself. "Next time, I'm installing some turrets."

* * *

Once they were all safe in the forked tunnel, the team reassessed themselves. "Okay!" Honda announced, "We now have seven bee enzymes in our possession. That leaves only one ingredient remaining: The bottles of distilled water."

"I'm just glad our rush of adrenaline saved us from any allergic reactions." Jonouchi noted as he and Atem received the much-needed Nami treatment to heal the stings.

"Must I remind you, Jonouchi?" Atem stated, "Not all of us are allergic to bee stings. And don't forget about Yugi and his quick thinking. That's what saved us from a fate that's even worse." Yugi beamed at the Bolt wielder's compliment.

"That's what friends are for Atem!" Yugi replied.

"I still got to admit it, mate." Varon added, "It's one thing to fight a Big Daddy. But fighting a fellow Plasmund is a completely different story!"

"I figured that out when I met Kaiba." Jonouchi muttered bitterly.

"I guess when you think about Plasmunds like us, it is a little scary sometimes." Anzu mused, "What can be your greatest ally can also be your greatest enemy."

"Let's put that aside for now, and get on to business." Honda stated, "We need to locate the place where you can find distilled water."

"Why not look at the video diary that Bakura gave me?" Atem suggested.

"Good idea!" Bakura replied enthusiastically, "C'mon everybody! Gather around!" The others soon surrounded the Bolt wielder as he took out the video diary and started playing it. On the screen, a distinguished gentleman in a nice suit adjusted his bow tie. When he spoke, there was a strong French accent in his voice.

"_**This is Pierre Gobbi of the French Quarter with a review of the Worley Winery, the main competitor of Mossy Glen Winery, which I personally prefer.**_" Pierre coughed for a minute. "_**Excuse me. As I was saying… In the ten years I have spent in this dump, I have come to accept a very low standard to life. But even at the bottom of this fish tank, a man must at least **__**have**__** standards to begin with. Case in point, the aforementioned Worley Winery. The pathetic frou du cul down in that place had just started adding water to his terrible wine… WATER! Can you believe that? When I confronted him with this fact, he told me, 'Pierre, there is no need to worry. The water, she is distilled. Look at it this way, it could have been much worse… I could have taken it right from the ocean…' He did have a point with that one. But nevertheless due to that fact alone, I give Worley Winery a 3 out of 10… a suitable rating for a terrible winery. This is Pierre Gobbi, signing off.**_" The entry was over in a flash.

"Ouch." Raphael stated, "If that wasn't brutal honesty, I don't know what is!"

"But that's beside the point Raphael!" Atem replied, "The distilled water we need lies in the winery mentioned by that man, the Worley Winery!"

"Then let's head on over there!" Amelda stated.

"Sure." Jonouchi agreed, "But where can we find the winery?"

Blossom began to giggle. "Over there silly! At the left hand fork!" Everyone looked to where the doll was pointing. Sure enough, there was a door with a sign saying 'Worley Winery' in bold letters.

And they didn't really have so far to go to get there.

Note: In the next chapter of Plasmashock, as the team searches for the final ingredient, the story of Yugi's past is revealed! What exactly triggered Ryu Mutou's slow fall from grace? How did Yugi come to rebel against his father? All these questions and more will soon be answered. Until Next Time!


	28. Chapter 28

Note: Hi! I just finished my latest chapter of Plasmashock! It's the longest chapter I've ever done so far, and it's so very detailed. I sure hope Master Rainwalker is seeing this! And thank you so much for all the reviews! Keep at it! Anyway, onward to the story... and it's all about Yugi in this chapter! Enjoy!

**Chapter 28: Yugi's Story**

The door to the Worley Winery opened, and the team was greeted with the musty scent of red and white wine mingled with mold and seawater. They slowly stepped inside. "It's so quiet here." Anzu muttered, "Even more so than the rest of the city."

"By the smell of it, it seems the wine has aged beautifully." Pegasus complimented.

Suddenly, there was a voice speaking to them. It sounded like a teenage boy. "Psst! Psst, hey!"

Surprised by voice in question, Atem lifted his pipe quarterstaff and took a fighter's stance, crimson irises scanning the room ahead. "Hello?" he asked, "Is anybody there?" He didn't expect to get a reply.

"Yeah! Up here!" the voice answered in a soft tone. The Bolt wielder looked up toward a shelf close to the ceiling, and his friends all followed his gaze. There, sitting at the top was a boy dressed in a yellow T-shirt and brown pants, complete with a green jacket, red sneakers and a red wool hat. The boy had brown shoulder-length hair in a tangled mess, complete with lavender bangs that seemed to go in every direction. But what disturbed the others was that he wore a simple eye mask made from what looked like human flesh. As if sensing their discomfort, the boy spoke again in a calm tone. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking. But I assure you, I am not a splicer."—he pointed to his mask—"I only look like a splicer because of the mask I'm wearing." He then proceeded to take off the mask, revealing a normal face complete with beady eyes. "Which leads me to this question. See those dead splicers over there?" The others turned to find a pair of corpses lying in the corner. Their faces were covered with animal masks.

"Yeah. What about 'em?" Jonouchi asked.

"Do you know why splicers wear masks?" asked the boy.

Atem blinked in confusion, before he answered, "I… uh, can't say we do. Do you know why splicers wear masks?"

"That's the whole point." Explained the boy, "No one in Kyoki knows why splicers wear masks, not even me. But there is one theory. It says that somewhere in the splicers' scrambled, overcooked brains, there is a teeny tiny part of them that still remembers what they used to be, what they used to look like… and they're ashamed of what they have become. But then again, who really has the time to contemplate the exact thoughts of a splicer? Aside from me, that is. The name's Ryuzaki, and I'm the keeper of the Worley Winery. Sure is nice to meet up with Plasmunds like you for a change."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ryuzaki." Atem stated as politely as he could.

"So, what brings you to this place?" Ryuzaki asked, "Just to make this clear to you, I'm trying to run a business. I don't care if it's red or white, bitter or sweet, if it's wine you want, you'll have to pay full price. Otherwise, I'll have to kick you out. This isn't a Safehouse, you know."

"We're not here for wine." Honda stated, "Most of us don't even drink alcohol."

Ryuzaki's eyes widened in surprise. "Then what are you here for? Root beer? Soda pop? Because if it's any of those, you've come to the wrong place."

"We just want some bottles of distilled spring water. It's a main ingredient for my aunt's latest invention, the Lazarus Vector." Honda answered.

Ryuzaki blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it."

At first, the winery owner said nothing, and his expression remained blank. Then suddenly his lips curled into a big smile. "Well, why didn't you say so? Any friend of Julie Langford is a friend of mine! You'll find a lot of distilled water bottles scattered down in the basement. Take as many as you want, they're all free of charge!"

"Thanks Ryuzaki!" Jonouchi replied cheerfully, "That a big help for us!" Soon the others proceeded to head down the stairs.

"Oh, and while you're busy searching down there," Ryuzaki suggested, "I'll keep an eye out for splicers and make sure they don't follow you. Believe me, when it comes to those scatterbrains I got a lot of tricks up my sleeve!"

"Thank you!" Atem replied from the stairs.

"Good luck!" Ryuzaki stated before the team vanished from his sight.

* * *

At the basement, the whole team was in awe by the sheer number of steel wine barrels. "Jesus Christ! Look at the size of this place!" Varon gasped.

"Ryuzaki said that the distilled water is scattered everywhere in this basement." Honda noted, "But after seeing this place I'm not so sure."

"Look! Over there!" Mai suddenly gasped in excitement, pointing to the floor. Honda looked down at one of the barrels before him. There, lying the wooden floor was a bottle made of clear glass. And inside the bottle was some clear clean water! "Looks a lot like something we need, doesn't it?" noted the violet-eyed shutterbug as Honda walked over to pick it up.

"It is!" he replied, placing the bottle into his pouch. "Thanks for pointing that out Mai!"

"Hmmm, so it seems we have a treasure hunt in our hands." Kaiba mused.

"I say we go for it!" Amelda suggested with a smile, "After all we've been through so far, I could use a little diversion!"

"Yay! Treasure hunt time!" Blossom chimed happily, bouncing up and down on Pegasus' shoulder. Pegasus likewise smiled at his doll's antics.

"Let's get the show on the road!" he stated. Soon everyone spread out all over the basement, searching diligently for more bottles of distilled water. It proved to be a lengthy endeavor, for it took exactly a minute and 30 seconds before they found the second bottle. Atem took notice of this, so he approached his doppelganger.

_Yugi._ he stated telepathically.

_Yeah Atem?_ replied Yugi.

_I have a feeling that it's going to take a while before we find all seven bottles for the Lazarus Vector. So if you don't mind…_

_Don't mind what?_

_Would you tell me and Jonouchi a little more about yourself? Would you tell us about your past?_

Yugi stared at the Bolt wielder, his eyes widening in shock when he heard those words.

_I-if that bothers you, you don't have to-_

"No." Yugi interrupted aloud, grabbing the attention of his teammates. "It's all right. It's a difficult thing for me to talk about, but I'm more than willing to tell you about my past."

"Your past?" Jonouchi queried, growing interested.

"Yes." Yugi answered. "But first things first. Pegasus?"

"Yes Yugi Boy?" the plasmid merchant replied.

"Have all those security cameras shot down." Yugi stated. "We don't want my father to listen in on our conversation."

"As you wish." Pegasus replied cheerfully, before facing some of the team. "You heard Yugi Boy! Take down the cameras!" As it turned out, there were five of those cameras located in the entire basement. Mai struck a bullseye at the camera lens with one shot from her hand crossbow. Raphael blasted another to smithereens. Pegasus and the Hunter Beta filled two more cameras with bullet holes with their respective weapons of choice. Honda finished off the last one, and when he was done, he looked to the side.

"Well what do you know?" he mused, "Another Power to the People Station!" He took out the damaged pistol that he had been carrying for safekeeping and smirked. "Might as well take advantage of the opportunity and get this thing fixed." Carefully, he placed his broken weapon inside the capsule and let the machine do the rest while he returned to Yugi.

"Good job." The Prince of Kyoki praised, "Now turn off your Video Phones. We don't want Raiden to listen in either."

"But how?" Atem asked, lifting up his Video Phone.

"There's a small device on the side that hidden by this flap over there." Yugi explained, revealing the switch. "Push it like a light switch to turn it on and off." The Bolt wielder nodded in understanding and did as the League leader told him. Honda did the same with his own Video Phone, as a precaution. Yugi smiled in satisfaction. "All right… now we can talk. I'm sure most of you already know about all the events that took place here in Kyoki. But now I believe the time has come for you to learn my side of the story."

"I think it's a great idea." Honda agreed, "I've been wanting to know more about you for quite some time now."

"Me too." Anzu added, "I'm glad you're willing to talk about it."

"We'll continue our search for the distilled water." Mai stated, as she approached another barrel, "But don't worry, we'll still pay attention as you tell your story."

Yugi nodded, and the search continued. Even so, all were ready for the League leader to tell his tale. "My story begins… with a love story that took place two decades ago. My father was still young then, and his heart was still a heart of shining gold. From the day that Kyoki was founded, Father took it upon himself to be the ruler of his citizens. But being the King of Kyoki was never easy. So every night since it first opened to the public, he went to Fort Frolic to relieve his stress. Sometimes he would play games of chance… and he was very good at it too. Other times he would bear witness to an array of five-star performances, from master magicians and freeform dancers to famous Kyoki rock bands and singers.

"One night, a new entertainment venue opened its doors. It was a strip club that went by the name of Izanami's Underworld. Kyoki was meant to be a city where the artist and performer would not fear the censor, so it was a welcome addition. It was at this time when plasmids first appeared in the market, and Orichalcos Futuristics was making a name for itself; Dartz's evil intentions had yet to be known. Father was interested with this new strip club, so he decided to go inside and take a look. On that night, two performers were making their erotic debut… two lusciously beautiful women, partners who would soon be Kyoki's biggest celebrities. They were known together as the Exotic Flowers: The platinum blonde, diamond-studded lap dancer, Mary 'Jasmine' Jolene… and the scantily-clad Japanese pole dancer with ruby red lips, Kaede 'Orchid' Otome. Both women captured the eyes of my father… But it was Orchid who captured his heart.

"Yes, Izanami's Underworld was an unlikely place to find love. But that was exactly what happened with my father and Orchid. At first, their relationship was of the professional kind… one that was strictly business. Orchid was my father's personal favorite among all the strippers. Likewise, she favored him in return. She would let no other woman perform a lap dance for him, not even Jasmine. And Father? He didn't mind it one bit. As the years passed and the War of the Smugglers went into full swing, it became obvious that their relationship had grown into something more: It had blossomed into real love. He grew to love her for more than her looks alone. And she grew to return his love. From the moment they declared their love for each other, their unlikely romance had become public knowledge. The popularity of the Exotic Flowers skyrocketed as a result. But that didn't matter to Orchid and Father. After every performance they would meet each other backstage to spend time with each other. In each other's arms they found comfort in the midst of day to day stress, and every time their lips met, their hearts filled with joy.

"One night, after a particularly stressful battle with Dartz, my father came over to Izanami's Underworld like he always did. Orchid saw that he was troubled, and when he told her what had happened, she did whatever she could to cheer him up. Her plan succeeded in flying colors. In fact, it was too successful. Sweet nothings were whispered, red wine was drunk, one thing led to another… the next thing they knew, long story short, they were having sex for the first time in their lives—and with each other I might add! And that, my friends, was how _**I**_ was conceived."

"No way!" Jonouchi gasped in surprise. "But that means Orchid Otome… was your mom!"

"That's right Jonouchi." Yugi confirmed before he continued his story, "It took exactly six months before her pregnancy came to light in the public. When Mother first found out about me at three months… she was nothing less than scared. A big part of her wanted to keep me, but she didn't know what my father would think of it. She was afraid that he might be furious and not accept me. So at first she tried to hide her pregnancy. As she entered the second trimester however, it became much harder to do so. So finally at five months she told him about me."

"Was he angry when he found out?" Anzu asked.

"Not at all." Yugi answered, "In fact, it was the complete opposite: He was elated. Overjoyed. You see, Father may have had individualistic ideals, which was the whole point of Kyoki's existence, but he also had dreams of being a family man as well. He made it clear to my mother that he loved her… and that he loved me, their little miracle, the 'happy accident' they made together. The moment he proposed to her, she knew she had no more doubts.

"Mother and Father married a week before I was born. And when I came into the world, the whole city rejoiced." The Prince of Kyoki paused for a moment. "That story you heard was the story my mother told me when I was little. From here on out, this is all me. At the beginning, we were truly one big happy family. Mother continued her work as a pole dancer. I loved my mother. I used to sneak into the strip club just to see her. I did it in three separate occasions, and I got away with it each time. I had a lot of fun doing it. I loved my father too. I often looked upon him as a role model. He was a hero to the people of Kyoki, and he was my hero. I couldn't ask for anything more."

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Atem began to have visions in his head. He saw a little toddler sneaking into the strip club and meeting with a woman with long red hair and blonde bangs. He saw that same toddler sitting on the lap of a young Ryu Mutou, the man giving a gentle smile. The Bolt wielder soon realized that the toddler was Yugi! He was seeing the childhood memories of his doppelganger!

It was at this moment Yugi's smile faded and became a look of sorrow. "But then, in 1997, everything changed. I was only five years old…"

**Little five-year old Yugi was skipping down the stairs in his father's office, holding a paper butterfly in his hand. "Daddy!" He called, "Daddy?" He was growing a little frustrated about not being able to find his father, but he continued his search. Finally, he saw Mutou, sitting alone on one of the chairs, facing what looked like a fireplace. "Daddy!" Yugi exclaimed in excitement, holding his paper butterfly. "Daddy, look what I made for Mommy!" But when he came over, he stopped in his tracks. Mutou was not smiling like he usually does.** **Tears were streaming down his eyes… he was crying! Yugi just stood there, perplexed. He had seen his mother cry before, but never his father. Slowly the boy approached him. "Daddy?" he asked, "What's the matter?" When he got no answer, he climbed onto the armrest. "Did you have a bad day? It looks like you had one." The little boy began to smile. "Mommy can help you with that!" At that he sat on Mutou's lap and began to tug at his jacket. "C'mon Daddy! Let's go see Mommy!"**

**It was then that Mutou looked toward his son. The sorrow was evident in his eyes. "Yugi… I'm afraid… you will never see your mother again." **

**Yugi's smile faded at that very moment. "W-wh-why not?"**

**Mutou paused, letting the tears stream down. "She is an angel now."**

"**Angel?" Yugi asked in confusion.**

"**She's dead!" Mutou sobbed. "Your mother is dead! Dartz's splicers have killed her… I couldn't stop them! I'm sorry Yugi… I'm sorry…"**

**Yugi stared at his father in utter disbelief at what he had just heard. "N-no! Mommy… she couldn't be dead! SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Then he too began to cry, hugging his father as if his life depended on it. Mutou returned the hug and continued to weep for the loss of his beloved.**

"…That was what triggered it all. After the death of my mother, Father began to change… and not in a good way. It started with the Death Penalty, enacted the autumn of that same year…"

**Yugi had just entered Mutou's office from the other side, when suddenly Bill McDonagh and Sullivan barged in. The little boy went into hiding and watched as Bill began to speak. "Ryu Mutou! You got some explaining to do!" he bellowed in anger. "It's about this Death Penalty you're planning to put up! The Kyoki Council is in an uproar about it! You can't just enact this penalty without their approval like this! There will be riots in the streets!"**

"**I know what I'm doing McDonagh!" Mutou retorted, slamming his fist on the desk. "My wife is dead, and this is a time for leadership! Action must be taken against Dartz and his smugglers! We need to stay in contact with the surface in order to stay ahead of the times, but too much contact will eventually expose Kyoki to the very parasites we fled from! I don't care what you think, but for me, a few stretched necks are a small price to pay for our ideals and our people!"**

"**So it's hanging now, is it? That's what we've come to in our fight against smugglers?" Sullivan quipped.**

"**Those smugglers have the potential for becoming something much worse!" Mutou bellowed.**

"**Look, I don't make the laws here, I just enforce them!" Sullivan barked, "But I did not come here to Kyoki just to lynch a man for smuggling contraband!" He then proceeded to take off his badge. "I'm warning you Mutou, if you have your way with this law, I swear I'll resign right on the spot!"**

**Mutou glared at his Chief of Police. "So you're just going to leave Kyoki's people to their grisly fate?" That did it. Sullivan stared at his boss in horror, and the hand that held the badge began to shake. Finally, he closed his eyes… and put the badge back on.**

**No one even noticed the horrified little spectator in the corner.**

"…I didn't realize it yet, for I was so young. But my father's dream was now lying on its sick bed, dying slowly and painfully. There was this awful glint in Father's eyes. It was like he was being consumed by… thoughts of vengeance. I was scared. But he was still the hero I knew him to be." Yugi bowed down his head, closing his eyes. "It was in the following years after he enacted the Death Penalty that I became the target of bullies in the streets. There were small gangs of them who would beat me up, steal my money… they laughed at me. They called me weak, and they called my father a murderer. I often had to drag myself home to tend my wounds." The League leader sighed at the thought of those bad memories. "Finally on September 12, 2002, my father met Dartz face to face in battle. You all know about the Shootout by now, how my father emerged victorious. I was ten years old at the time, and I was like most of Kyoki's citizens. We praised Father as a hero. And now that Dartz had been defeated, we all thought that our troubles were over. We were wrong."

**Mutou held the golden Override key card between his fingers, and scanned the control panel before him. On the large computer screen there was the logo of Orichalcos Futuristics, along with a long red bar on the bottom. "Wasn't Dad great Uncle Bill?" cheered a ten-year-old Yugi, "I tell you, Dartz and his splicers really had it coming!"**

"**They sure did, Yugi! They sure did!" McDonagh laughed.**

"**So what do we do now?" asked Yugi.**

"**It's a rather unpleasant thing," McDonagh replied, "And so undeserving for a villain like him, but it upholds the Great Chain. We go out and look for Dartz's will, and when we find it, we give Orichalcos Futuristics and all the other businesses to whoever inherited them."**

**Mutou soon smirked to himself as he eyed the key card. "I have a better idea." He stated. And he slid the card right into disk drive. In an instant, the red color began to empty away from the bar. Yugi and McDonagh stared at the King of Kyoki in shock.**

"**What the hell are you doing?" McDonagh shouted.**

"**I'm doing what's good for Kyoki." Mutou replied calmly. "We must make it clear that we will not allow the forces of evil to rise again."**

"**By taking over Orichalcos Futuristics?" McDonagh blurted.**

"**It's 'Mutou Industries' now." Mutou corrected.**

"**But Dad, that's not how the Great Chain works!" Yugi stated, "That's what the Chinese government would do!" By then the red color had completely disappeared and the bar was quickly being filled by the color blue.**

**Mutou approached his son and gently put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Yugi, you have nothing to worry about. I will tear this little business apart in due time." With that, Mutou rose up and walked away. Yugi watched as the bar on the screen became completely blue. Then in an instant, the Orichalcos Futuristics logo flickered away, replaced by a brand new logo: Mutou Industries. The boy looked back at his father in dismay.**

"…I couldn't believe it! My own father, the champion of the Great Chain, had just betrayed his own ideals and nationalized Orichalcos Futuristics! It proved to be a turning point in my life, a turning point in my father's career… but most of all, the first in a series of bad decisions that would not only lead to his fall from grace… but also to the fall of Kyoki itself. In protest to the nationalization, McDonagh quit his job as the General Contractor, although he continued working as a member of the Kyoki Council. When my father set out to search for a replacement, that was when I met Seto, Mokuba… and him…"

**Mutou sat on his desk, staring down at his papers. Soon, the door slid open and in stepped a figure with long navy blue hair and black eyes behind a set of glasses, dressed in a bleach-white lab coat. Two boys followed timidly behind the scientist; a ten-year old with piercing blue eyes and short brown hair neatly combed in the back, and a smaller four-year-old with black spiky hair that reached his shoulders. Both boys were dressed in nice suits. The scientist gave a smirk and spoke. "Mr. Mutou?"**

**Upon hearing the scientist, Mutou looked up to find him near the desk. "Who might you be?" he asked in a professional manner.**

"**I heard that you are looking for a new General Contractor." The scientist replied, "Perhaps I am the man you are looking for. And I can do much more as well. You see, I have also heard that you have taken over the plasmid business. I happen to know the secret to its success, and I am willing to share it with you, if you would let me."**

"**Hmmm, it seems you have some potential." Mutou mused. "But really, isn't it a little rude not to introduce yourself?"**

"**Why, you are so right Mr. Mutou!" the scientist chuckled, "How rude of me!"**

"**What's going on Dad?" a voice called from behind the desk.**

"**Yugi?" Mutou gasped in surprise, "What are you doing over here? Ah, it doesn't matter! Come on over here!" Yugi rushed toward his father, and Mutou laughed heartily, gracing the smiling boy with a nice shoulder hug. When Yugi laid eyes on the scientist, his smile faded and made way to confusion.**

"**Dad? Who's that guy?"**

"**Ah, what a fine young lad you got here Mutou!" the scientist complimented.**

"**Oh! This is my son, Yugi." Mutou introduced, "He's my greatest pride!"**

"**Yugi!" the scientist stated, kneeling down to speak to the boy. "It's a pleasure to meet you! You can call me Suchong. Dr. Yi Suchong." His lips curled into a smirk. "You look so much like your father…"**

**Yugi grew a little uncomfortable. "Uh… thanks, I guess."**

**Again, Suchong chuckled. "Such a delightful child Mr. Mutou! You have every reason to be proud. Of course, I know the joys of being a father: I happen to have two sons myself!" He beckoned the two boys in question to come, which they did. The ten-year-old stood on the right side of his father. "This boy right here is Seto." The four-year-old stepped to front, standing at Suchong's left side. "And this is his little brother, Mokuba. I'm sure they will make such great friends with your boy."**

**However, Seto's eyes widened in fear when he saw Yugi.**

"…A week later, Suchong was accepted as the new General Contractor. And as promised, he revealed the secret to the plasmid's success. It was on that day that everyone discovered the presence of the Scavengers." Yugi suddenly stopped. "Atem? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Indeed Atem stood in sheer terror. It took a moment before he gave the answer. "Suchong… I saw him in your memories Yugi. He scares me for some reason. P-please, continue on with your story."

Yugi paused for a moment before he nodded and did just that. "I know how you feel…somewhat. Suchong didn't exactly scare me, but he did creep me out. There was something about him that just didn't feel right. I never trusted him. But still, he rose in position to become an advisor to my father. Raiden appeared around that time. In those days Nagi use was still not ubiquitous in Kyoki, and civil order was still maintained pretty well. However, from the moment Suchong came into our lives… slowly but surely, things all went downhill for the city. He was completely unaware of it, but with each passing year, Father became the one thing he despised the most: a tyrant.

"Suchong, in part, had a lot to do with it. He practically had my father wrapped around his little finger. Father listened more to him than he did to the rest of the Kyoki Council. As the years passed, Father made more and more corrupt policies. In turn, there were more executions made on innocent civilians who opposed those policies. Most were made in Amaterasu Square, but some were done in other parts of the city, right on the spot with the victims unable to defend themselves. It reached a point where even questioning my father was a crime. As a result, several members of the population slowly turned to Raiden and gave him their support… especially members of the lower class. Father became more reclusive and paranoid. And as for me, the number of bullies skyrocketed. They targeted me for the fact that I was the son of Ryu Mutou. The beatings I received were more intense than ever before. The words they said to me, the names they called me… they were so filled with hatred and malice. So cruel… I know they were angry towards my father, but they didn't have to lash out on me! Sure, I told my father about it. But where he used to give me comfort and encouragement, he would now simply ignore me.

"I couldn't understand it at the time. The man I knew and loved was fading away before my very eyes. And Kyoki was falling apart all around me. I would often cry at night, feeling that everyone had turned against me. Only McDonagh seemed to care. I tried to make friends with Kaiba, but he would just run away from me, like he was scared of me. And I hardly ever see Mokuba. Then one day, I met my first real friend: Honda."

"I'll tell you that part of the story." Honda stated, using his Telekinesis to retrieve his fourth bottle of distilled water from a beam on the ceiling. "We were twelve years old when we first met. I was wandering the streets, on my way to visit Aunt Julie, when I saw a particularly hostile street gang mugging a kid just my age. Imagine my surprise when I recognized the victim as Yugi Mutou…"

**Yugi, now twelve, felt the sharp pain in his cheek where his tormentor punched him. The force was enough to knock him off his feet, and the gang of bullies laughed harshly. The young Prince of Kyoki spat out some blood, before the leader kicked him in the stomach. "S-stop it… please stop…" Yugi pleaded. The gang leader just let out a cruel laugh and grabbed his victim by the hair.**

"**Your daddy won't stop the massacre at Amaterasu Square 'Your Highness', so why should we listen to you?" the gang leader taunted, "Besides, kicking your wimpy little ass is fun!" Then the bully tossed the Prince of Kyoki back onto the ground, hard. Yugi let out a yelp of pain. The whole time, a twelve-year-old Honda was watching this act of cruelty unfolding in the background. He clenched his fist, growing angry at the bullies who continued to mock their target. "You're lucky you're Ryu Mutou's little baby." The gang leader chuckled, "Otherwise you'd be dead right here, right now. Not that anyone would care." He then faced the rest of his cronies, "C'mon guys! We had enough fun for today." And with that, the gang departed in cruel laugher, leaving a battered Yugi lying on the streets weeping.**

**It was only when the bullies were out of sight that Honda rushed toward him, genuinely concerned. "Hey," he stated in a soft voice, "Are you all right?" Upon hearing the boy's voice, Yugi shot up in fear and tried to escape. His injuries prevented him from doing so, so he covered his head.**

"**Who are you?" Yugi cried, "Please don't hurt me!"**

"**It's all right, there's no need to panic!" Honda reassured. But Yugi continued to tremble. Honda let out a frustrated sigh. "Listen, I've heard so much about you. I know you're Yugi, the only son of Ryu Mutou. But I don't give a damn about that! You're hurt! Please let me help you." Initially, Yugi didn't believe him; he replied only with a tear-filled glare. Honda's expression softened. "Don't worry. You can trust me. I'll take you to my Aunt Julie's place. She'll take care of you." The glare vanished from Yugi's eyes, and he stopped trembling. Gently, Honda lifted up his injured charge and proceeded to carry him to safety on his back.**

"**T-thank you…" Yugi replied, with a small smile. "No one in the city ever cared about me like this before. Not since my father started changing."**

"**I'm just glad to help. By the way, my name is Honda. Honda Hiroto."**

"He took me to the Langford Laboratory where I received some personal treatment from his aunt." Yugi continued, "It was the first time I met Julie Langford face to face. She proved to be a very nice lady. And while I recovered from my injuries, Honda and I got to know each other a little better. Since then I am happy to count him as one of my best friends. But let's get back to my story. After Honda rescued me, I decided to take advantage of my father's plasmid business in order to defend myself. I requested Julie to test me for Nagi compatibility, and I got the confirmation that I was a Plasmund. After that, I borrowed some leftover Nagi from Honda and I immediately bought my Illusional Clone plasmid, making friends with Pegasus on the way. I've put it to good use throughout all those years, pulling the old switcheroo on plenty of bullies and making my escape while they were distracted. But it wasn't until exactly two years ago that I took a more offensive approach.

"Father made many terrible mistakes. But his biggest mistake was his complacency. He wrongly assumed that he had the situation under control and he failed to tear down the remnants of Dartz's organization. It allowed Raiden to continue all the things that Dartz had started. Finally, on New Years Day, 2006, it happened. Dartz's splicers came streaming out of the poorhouses and initiated a massacre in an open revolt that signaled the collapse of society. I was with my father at his office when the slaughter took place. The survivors who retained their sanity all fled to the Safehouses. The rest joined the call to arms as the First Kyoki War began. On that day, Father closed Kyoki to all surface contact, thereby isolating the city from the rest of the world. Since then, the population has relied on today's smugglers to get all the current technology they need. After that, he set up a harsh regime of security and checkpoints. That was how all those security cameras and turrets got all set up. Meanwhile, I was struck with a moment of epiphany. It was the splicers that killed my mother and ruined my life, and now that they were roaming the streets, I knew that this time I have to fight back in order to avoid the same fate. So I taught myself some Kung Fu and Jujitsu, and upgraded my Illusional Clone so my decoys could attack as well. The First Kyoki War lasted for a year and two months. The only benefit of that war, and the other Kyoki Wars to follow, was the large number of corpses scattered all over the main city. As you have found out for yourselves, each one of them contained reusable Nagi, and the demand it had skyrocketed among those actively fighting in the war. That's how the Scavengers came to have that name: they were adapted to loot Nagi from the dead and recycle it. The Hunters began to appear then, to protect those children from harm. The Reapers also gathered from the corpses, even going as far as to kill to feed their slugs. Because of their near-invincibility and their powerful fighting skills, Reapers were valued as soldiers on both sides.

"Near the end of the first Kyoki War, Raiden's popularity soared among the city's population; The Mermaid League had not yet formed at that time, so many people of Kyoki preferred to support him rather than my father. Finally one day Suchong summoned my father, saying that he had a solution that can counter Raiden's growing number of supporters. I followed Father to the main office… and what I witnessed showed me exactly how far from grace he had fallen…"

**Suchong lifted up a flask containing a translucent gray liquid and smirked at the King of Kyoki. "It's actually quite simple Mr. Mutou." He stated in a sly tone, "All we have to do is simply modify the structure of our current plasmid line. If the user is ****not**** compatible with Nagi—which is the case of most citizens—they will be vulnerable to mental suggestions through these pheromones, which will be sprayed in the main city."**

**The eyes of fourteen-year-old Yugi widened in shock, as did those of his father. "So what you're saying," Mutou noted, "is that by modifying our plasmids, we can effectively control the actions of Kyoki's incompatible majority?"**

"**That is correct." Suchong replied with a smirk. "I already have twenty such soldiers waiting for the pheromones to be released into the air so you can give them their every command."**

"**You bastard! That's absurd!" Yugi shouted in anger.**

"**I'll**** handle this." Mutou stated to his son before he faced the scientist with a glare. "Dr. Suchong… I am shocked and disgusted by your proposal! I mean, to go as far as to actually ****brainwash**** the people and turn them into ****slaves****? It's a violation of the Great Chain! ****Free will**** is the cornerstone and the foundation of this city! The very thought of throwing it away is a betrayal of everything I stand for!"**

"**Yeah! Way to say it Father!" Yugi cheered joyfully.**

"**I understand your concern, Mr. Mutou." Suchong suddenly replied, immediately wiping the smile off Yugi's face. "But you might want to put this in perspective. This ****is**** a time of war, is it not?"**

"**Y-yes, of course!" Mutou stuttered.**

"**And right now Raiden has the upper hand." Suchong added. "If he and his thugs were to ultimately emerge victorious… would we not be turned into slaves anyway?"**

**For a while, Mutou just stood there. There was a look of horror in his eyes. Yugi held his breath, waiting for how his father would respond. Finally, Mutou bowed down his head and let out a sigh. "You're right." He replied in a low tone, "What good would our free will be then?" He then proceeded to take the flask containing the pheromones.**

**Yugi was shocked at what was happening. "Father…" he gasped. And when Mutou inserted the pheromones into the spray machine, the Prince of Kyoki rushed forward. "Father! Stop! Don't do it! Father, NO!" He grabbed his father's arm just as the latter was about to pull the switch. Mutou however, just pulled away his arm in a harsh manner. The expression on his face, however, was that of sadness.**

"**I am sorry Yugi, I really am." Mutou stated, "But desperate times call for desperate measures." And with that, he pulled the switch. The pheromones sprayed into the air. Unseen by the King of Kyoki, Suchong gave a wicked smirk of satisfaction.**

**And Yugi's expression of horror slowly turned into a hateful glare.**

"…And so, by betraying his ideals yet again, Father created his own army of splicers." Yugi stated, his voice filled with bitterness and anger. "This act ignited the Second Kyoki War. And for me… that was the last straw. On that day, I finally lost my respect and love for my father. What he just did was the ultimate insult to my mother's memory! It was as if her death by splicer hands meant nothing to him!" The expression on the League leader's face said it all: pure, unbridled rage. "Let me make this clear to you. I loved my father for the man he used to be… I _hate_ him for the monster that he had become!" His rage spent, he paused for a moment to take some deep breaths. "It was only a year ago, but it was during that time I began to oppose my father more openly. We got into many fights. It's kind of weird. He never said that he was disappointed in me, not even once. But I can tell that he was angry at me. I didn't care anymore, though. I just couldn't let him oppress my people anymore. Then one day, I met up with another friend of mine: Diane McClintock."

"Diane?" Jonouchi gasped, "Atem and I were going to ask you about her, Yugi! It seem like you know something about her."

"You're more than right." Yugi replied, "She started dating my father the year before the 2002 Shootout. I was attached to her from the moment I first met her. I sometimes look upon her as a mother. She was planning to marry my father to become my stepmother. But the 2006 New Years Attack put an end to those plans."

"Jonouchi and I know about that." Atem stated, "We came across some video diaries that showed us everything, including the one you found."

Yugi nodded in acknowledgement. "I was heartbroken when I saw her face… it was no longer as beautiful as it should be. But that wasn't all. After her confrontation with my father about the innocent people of the city, he had very little interest in her. It was a month after the Second Kyoki War got started, and already it was going into full swing. I met up with her one day, and I could tell she was having problems…"

**Yugi was walking down the hallway when he heard the sobs ahead of him. He found a woman with strawberry blonde hair and a distorted face weeping in the corner. "Diane?" he asked in concern, "Diane, what happened?"**

**Diane looked up at the Prince. "Y-Yugi. I've been stood up! By your father!"**

"**Again?" Yugi gasped in shock.**

"**It's the second time this week!" she cried, "It's been that way ever since my face was… Dr. Steinman worked on me, but it was never the same since the blast…"**

"**Well, Steinman's idea of beauty is a bit warped." Yugi noted. Diane's sobs slowly died down.**

"**You know Yugi," she stated, "so many days of being alone gives a girl time to think. Who could hate me so much that they would ruin my life like this? What did I do to ****them****? What did I do to deserve this? I keep thinking about all those thieves and terrorists that your father has locked up in Amaterasu Square, and I get so mad… I can hardly breathe! ARGH!" She took a moment to catch her breath. "If I could only confront them… If only I can tell them what they did to me, how they're ruining everything for me, for Kyoki… maybe I'd feel better then."**

"**Then how about we do just that?" Yugi suggested, surprising the former mistress.**

"**We? Do you mean it?"**

"**Yeah! Besides, I've been wanting to confront Raiden myself! He was behind the New Years Attack after all."**

**It was difficult for Diane to smile with a disfigured face, but that was exactly what she did. "All right… Let's do it then!"**

/

**A few hours later, Yugi and Diane arrived at their destination. The streets of Amaterasu Square were filled with screams of horror. "What the hell is happening here?" Yugi muttered, "There's more guards on the streets than ever before!"**

"**My God…" Diane gasped, "I had no idea…!" Just then a woman in a tank top, blue jeans and sneakers started climbing over the fence.**

"**Help me! Someone help!" she cried. Suddenly a splicer appointed as one of Mutou's guards rushed up to where the woman happened to be climbing. All at once he hurled a fireball at his target. Engulfed in flames, the woman fell to the other side of the fence and died on the spot. The splicer soon laid eyes on the pair.**

"**Halt! No one shall pass!" the splicer barked.**

**With Yugi's encouraging nod, Diane approached the guard. "Please sir, would you be so kind as to let me and Mutou's son enter the Atlantis Home for the Poor?"**

"**Oh!" the splicer stated in surprise, but he quickly returned to his usual attitude. "Uh, sorry miss, but I can't do that."**

"**Not even for 100 Adam?" Diane asked, lifting up the bottle of the valuable substance. That did the trick. The splicer's eyes lit up.**

"**Heh heh heh heh… now that's a different story!" quickly he snatched the batch of Nagi. "Adam, Nagi, I don't care what ya call it! I'll take the deal! Come inside!" He unlocked the gate and as soon as it was open, the pair stepped right through to the inside. The surveyed their surroundings.**

"**Oh Yugi!" Diane gasped, "It's so awful in here!" Soon they came across the corpse of a woman lying to their right on the street. It was a heart-wrenching sight. All the people walked by the corpse like it wasn't there. But just above that corpse were some words written in spray paint:**

"_**Raiden Lives.**_**"**

"**Look Diane!" Yugi stated, "These words are all over the place! But what do they mean?"**

"**I have no idea myself," Diane replied, her eyes toward the entrance to the poorhouse. "But something tells me it means a lot to these people here."**

"…We entered the Atlantis Home for the Poor, and we saw firsthand the terrible conditions that these lower class citizens have to live in. I met many downtrodden individuals and families. Among those people were Raphael, Amelda and Varon, who were working for Raiden at that time. At first, they treated us with quiet hostility. But as time passed and we got to know them, they warmed up and grew to trust us. To think! Me, the son of Ryu Mutou, and Diane, my father's mistress… and they still accept us as one of their own and take us in! Many of the poor talked about Raiden and how he gave them his support. They said that without him, they would have given up a long time ago. For a moment, I was beginning to think that Raiden was not really such a bad guy. But then they brought me over to his office, where we met him face to face for the first time…"

**Raphael opened the wooden door allowing Yugi and Diane to enter. "Raiden," Raphael stated, "Here are some people who wanted to meet you."**

**Raiden looked up from his laid-back casual position at his desk, the upper half of his face hidden by his Chinese-style straw hat. His lips curled into his confident smirk. "Yugi Mutou? Diane McClintock? Well, I never expected that my latest allies in the fight would be you!"**

"**I-it's an honor to meet you Raiden." Diane stated nervously.**

**Raiden chuckled at the greeting and turned his attention to the Prince of Kyoki. "So Yugi… from what I've heard, it seems you have finally turned against your father."**

"**It… It is only because he betrayed our city, and our people." Yugi answered.**

"**Ah yes, he had become such an evil man over the years, hasn't he?" Raiden replied.**

"**I've heard the people say a lot of good things about you." Diane noted. "They look upon you as a hero in these hard times. Are you their liberator? Are you going to lead the people in some kind of uprising against Mutou?"**

**Raiden answered with a quiet chuckle. "Who me? I'm no liberator Diane. There's no such thing as liberators. These people you've met and befriended are going to liberate themselves. I'm only giving them the means to do it." He lifted his hand in a friendly gesture. "And if you like, I will give you the chance to liberate yourselves as well." Neither Raiden nor Diane saw it, but upon Yugi's face was a look of suspicion.**

"…Raiden spoke of liberation and freedom, yes. But I did not trust him. There was something about him that just didn't feel right, something awfully familiar. Even today, I still couldn't put my finger on it. But Diane… she actually listened to his honeyed words. He had won her over, hook, line and sinker. So in spite of my suspicions—or perhaps because of them—I joined forces with Raiden along with Diane. It was not long before we became a part of Raiden's inner circle. For the first half of the Second Kyoki War, we participated in many raids and skirmishes against my father's splicers. It felt good to defy my father in this way. Still, I could never shake off the feeling that Raiden is not what he claims. One night, about a month after I turned fifteen, Diane and I had just gotten finished with another successful raid with five others when we came across a Hunter and his Scavenger. The fight that followed was intense. Three of men were killed. We managed to slay the Hunter, but what happened next heightened my suspicions toward Raiden…"

**With a final moan, the Bouncer fell lifeless to the ground with a heavy thud. "NOOO! MR. BUBBLES!" The little girl that was the Scavenger ran by the side of her dead Guardian and wept.**

**Right at that moment, the Video Phone carried by Diane emitted its call signal. Raiden appeared onscreen soon after. "Amida Buddha! I thought I'd never get a hold of you! Are you all right?"**

"**We're fine Raiden." Diane replied, "We just took down a Big Daddy!"**

"**You did?" Raiden exclaimed in surprise, "Was a Scavenger with him?"**

"**Yes. A little girl to be exact." Diane answered.**

**Raiden paused for a moment. "This is perfect!" he finally stated, "Here's your chance to harvest some Nagi! To get it, all you have to do is rip the rapture slug out of the stomach of that Scavenger."**

**Yugi stared in horror. "But wouldn't that be the same as killing her?"**

"**Those **_**things**_** have to die Yugi. After all, they work for your father." Raiden turned his attention back to the whole raiding party. "So go do your thing. Put them out of their misery. Make me proud." The call ended soon after.**

"**You heard the man!" one of their fellow raiders exclaimed, "Kill that little shit and get the Nagi!"**

"**Don't just stand there Yugi!" shouted another raider, "Now's your chance to get back at your dad! Do it!"**

**Yugi stood terrified, unable to believe what he just heard. He looked at the weeping Scavenger before him. The shouts from the two raiders overwhelmed him. Slowly, he approached the child. He reached out and grabbed her by the arm. She let out a terrified scream as he slowly lifted her off her feet. The raiders cheered him on as he raised his right hand, trying to look fierce. The hand began to shake, and Yugi stood in hesitation. Then quickly, he thrust his hand toward the little girl's stomach—and stopped.**

"**What's keeping ya? Just harvest her already!"**

**However, Yugi could not help but stare at the girl's terrified eyes. He lifted his right hand again. And again, he hesitated. Finally, he broke down in tears and fell to his knees, releasing his grip on the Scavenger. "I can't do it!" he whispered, "I just can't do it!" The child backed away. But nevertheless she sat there, amazed that this young man had just spared her.**

"**What's the matter with him? Why didn't he harvest the brat?" the first raider asked.**

"**Maybe he's just too nervous." Guessed the second.**

"**Let me give it a try." Diane suddenly suggested.**

"**Great idea!" the first raider exclaimed in excitement. The second raider cheered in agreement. But Yugi did not feel any of the joy. He was horrified.**

"**Diane, wait!" He exclaimed.**

"**I was a fool to believe that Mutou was a good man!" Diane roared, "Here's what I think of his 'Great Chain' now!"**

**Immediately Yugi turned toward the Scavenger. "Run!" he cried in a quiet voice, "RUN! Get out of here! Don't let her get you!" And the little girl did run, hoping to escape her next attacker.**

"**Oh no you don't!" Diane barked and leapt a great big leap, easily catching up to the child. The Scavenger screamed.**

"**DIANE! NOOO!" Yugi yelled. But it was too late. The former mistress had already thrust her hand into the child's stomach. With one pull there was a sick ripping sound, followed by the reverberating screech of a live rapture slug. With one bloody hand, Diane triumphantly held up the creature for all to see. The Scavenger's now lifeless body slumped on the ground not very far away. Yugi's heart was broken on the spot.**

/

**Later that day, in the Atlantis House for the Poor, Yugi approached Diane as she was chatting with Varon and Amelda about the successful raid. "Diane, we need to talk." He stated bluntly.**

"**Of course Yugi." Diane replied.**

"**Alone." Yugi added with emphasis on the word. The former mistress was speechless, but she nodded and followed the Prince of Kyoki to a nearby room. Once Yugi shut the door, he couldn't keep himself from shaking with rage. "Diane… do you have any **_**idea**_** what you have just done?"**

"**What do you think I did? I just did my part to save Kyoki." Diane replied.**

"**You MURDERED an innocent little girl in cold blood! How is THAT saving Kyoki?"**

"**She NOT an innocent little girl Yugi! She used to be such, but not anymore! Why could you not see that? I just don't get it!"**

"**You know what I don't get? I don't get why Raiden would claim to fight for justice and freedom, and yet convince his supporters to mercilessly exploit the smallest and most vulnerable citizens of all Kyoki! He doesn't even express remorse when the deed is done! Doesn't that sound suspicious to you?"**

"**Yugi, you don't understand! Raiden gave us hope when Mutou fell from grace. He provided us with shelter, fed our families, he gave us a different way of life! He is a hero!"**

"**NO! ****You're**** the one who doesn't understand! Open your eyes Diane! Raiden is NOT who he says he is! He is NOT A HERO! A real hero would never encourage his people to shed the blood of innocent children! And don't you dare give me that bullshit about the Scavengers not being such! They may have those slugs swimming around in their stomachs, but to me they are still innocent children!"**

**Diane slapped the Prince of Kyoki on the cheek. A brief silence followed, and Yugi could see the glare given to him by the former mistress. "You know… I thought I could trust you." She muttered spitefully, "I thought you were different from your father. But once again, I was proven to be a fool!"**

**Yugi rubbed his cheek before the tears began to flow freely from his eyes. His whole body shook, even his breath. "You're right…" he finally replied, "You **_**are**_** a fool…! I tried to warn you about Raiden…" He lifted up his head, revealing an expression of fury mixed with pain. "But still, YOU PUT ALL YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN THAT SON OF A BITCH! YOU'RE LETTING HIM BLIND YOU TO THE TRUTH! And you know what that says to me? YOU'RE AN EVEN BIGGER FOOL THAN YOU THINK!" And with that he rushed out of the small room, slamming the door as he left.**

"…That was the last time I ever saw Diane. I really felt bad about all the things I said to her. I was only trying to protect her from Raiden. I tried to look for her so I can apologize, but somehow she was nowhere to be found. It was like she simply disappeared. I still don't even know whether she's dead or alive. I hope she's alive… Anyway, it turned out that Amelda and Varon were listening in to our argument. So for the first time since we first met, I shared my suspicions with them and Raphael. At first, they didn't believe me either. But then, they all went through the exact same tragic scenario that I went through. They already told you the details of what happened, and the identity of the Scavengers that got involved. But the point is, after that tragedy, they too began to question their so-called war hero. So together we decided to investigate Raiden ourselves. After a few nights of planning, we sneaked into the basement of the poorhouse. There, we made the discovery that confirmed our suspicions. There were several lower class people forced to overdose on Nagi, and a growing number of splicers training for battle. We knew the truth at that moment: Raiden really was no different than his predecessor. And we also knew… in this war, there really were no heroes. It is evil against evil, no matter which side you're on. For a few days, we kept the information to ourselves so that Raiden would not find out about our little investigation. But soon we all found hope. It turned out that there were many lower class citizens in the Atlantis Home for the Poor who were also disillusioned by both Raiden and my father, hiding in plain sight. They told me that they couldn't stand to live under the rule of either of them, but they had nowhere else to go. That day was a pivotal moment for me. Someone has to change all that! Someone has to rise up and defend those people from both my father and Raiden together! Someone has to put an end to both evils to save them… and that 'someone' is me."

"So that's what inspired you to found the Mermaid League!" Mai mused.

"That's right." Yugi replied, "I took it upon myself to become their leader, and many were more than willing to fight for my cause… our cause. In the early days of the League, we had no headquarters, so we would hide in plain sight. But one day, I had another encounter with a Hunter, a Big Bertha. She was protecting two Scavengers from a mob of splicers, a girl and her little brother. With the help of some new Agents, we defeated the enemy. Unfortunately the Hunter had already fallen in the fight, leaving her charges alone and vulnerable to harvestation. Since the Restoration plasmid wasn't created yet the Agents would save such 'orphaned' Scavengers by returning them to their tunnels before the splicers would attack them. It was after demonstrating this act of kindness to these two little Scavengers that I met a Reaper, who said that she had watched the whole thing. She praised me for sparing the lives of the Little Ones, and invited me to one of the Safehouses to meet her grandmother. That Reaper was none other than Anzu Mazaki."

Atem's eyes widened in disbelief, and he turned toward the diplomatic protector. "It's true." Anzu stated, "After my friend got taken away to the surface seven years ago, I was converted into a Scavenger. I managed to escape with my Grandma and the other Scavengers to the Olympus Safehouse before any further damage could be done. I grew up to become a Reaper. Oh, and by the way, it was Grandma who built the first Safehouses. More of them got built soon after the 2006 New Years Attack, and they proved to be the perfect shelter."

"When I met Dr. Tenenbaum, I was amazed to learn that she had the same views and goals as myself and the other Mermaid Agents. She never talked much about her past, but I knew for sure that she was trustworthy. She certainly earned the trust of the refugees who now live in the Safehouses, and when I found out that they all opposed Raiden and my father, my spirits were soaring. I brought all my Agents to every Safehouse I could count, and these places each became the main headquarters for the Mermaid League. Tenenbaum and Anzu both became full-fledged Mermaid Agents and boosted our reputation as heroes. It was Anzu, in fact, that inspired the name of my organization as well as its symbol." He briefly uncovered his gold mermaid brooch. "Most people know about the Little Mermaid, of course. In one version of the story, she had a father who harshly opposed her views of the surface and the humans who lived there. In a way, she's just like me." He smiled as he hid the brooch again. "Since the day it was established, more and more people gave their support to the Mermaid League. Several individuals even joined the ranks. Most had skills in battle and espionage, while some had special talents that have great benefits both inside the Safehouse and on the battlefield. True to our credo, not a single splicer walks among our ranks, only powerful non-splicers and of course, Plasmunds." There was a pause before Yugi continued, "Near the end of the Second Kyoki Wars, both Raiden's splicers and my father's splicers were beginning to suffer the damage caused by Nagi. It was inevitable, for in spite of a successful plasmid business, neither side of the conflict had enough Nagi to resist it. The need for that substance greatly outweighed the supply for it. In a final act of desperation, the splicers all targeted the Reapers on opposing sides in a genocidal battle. A few, like Anzu, were safe since they were spending the night with Tenenbaum. But many other Reapers were not so lucky. When the slaughter was over, only four Reapers in the battlefield survived, including Kaiba's partner Kisara. They are still out there, wandering the streets… now trying their very best to delay the collapse of their symbiotic relationship with the slugs.

"With the deaths of all the other Reapers, the Second Kyoki War ended and Third Kyoki War—the war we are in now—began. Throughout all three Kyoki Wars the mechanics were routinely targeted by Raiden's splicers; the main city was left in disrepair. Yet even with those successes, it was not enough to regain their previous momentum: the tides of battle had now shifted in my father's favor, and Raiden is now on his way to losing the war. With every passing month Father became even bigger threat than his own enemy. With enough power to possibly wipe out an entire army, the people of Kyoki were in grave danger. We Mermaid Agents knew at this point that the only way to permanently end my Father's corruption is to assassinate him. As you know, several Mermaid Agents have volunteered to make that attempt, all posing as sympathizers to Raiden's cause. And so far, all had failed. Still, that never stopped any other Agents from trying. Then recently, a breakthrough finally came. About three months ago a rumor began to spread across all of the Safehouses. I was the first to catch wind of it. Ironically, it came from the very mouth of Suchong himself!"

**Yugi was wandering through a glass tunnel near his father's office, when he saw a familiar scientist standing near one of the metal doors ahead. Suchong had his back to the League leader, but his chuckles were highly audible. Yugi cautiously approached the scientist to listen. "Oh… the irony! The delicious irony!"**

**The resulting confusion was great. Without even thinking, Yugi asked, "What irony? What the hell are you talking about?"**

**Suchong slowly turned around. He did not attack the Prince of Kyoki, nor did he throw any insults and threats. Instead he simply gave a wicked grin. "The Ace in the Hole…" he chuckled, "It is indestructible! Your father doesn't stand a chance against it!" **

"**Ace in the Hole? What does that have to do with irony? What ****is**** the Ace in the Hole anyway?" Yugi asked. But the scientist had already sped through the door, leaving no answers.**

"…That was the last I ever saw of Suchong, for later that day I got the news that he was dead. But the words he said to me still lingered in my mind. A week later, another Mermaid Agent got word from another source about the very same thing. That was how we first learned about the weapon of legend, the Ace in the Hole. I don't know what exactly that weapon is and I personally don't know if it even exists or not, but I know that it might be the key to saving the remnants of Kyoki. And I will find it if it means doing so. Up to now, the Mermaid League has been searching for that weapon. So far, we are met with no success. But very soon, that will all change, I hope."

"Does Raiden know anything about the Ace in the Hole perchance?" Atem asked once his doppelganger finished his story.

"I don't know." Yugi admitted, "Maybe we can ask him after we save Arcadia." Atem nodded and turned his Video Phone back on. No sooner than he did so than the Video Phone emitted its signal, and Raiden appeared onscreen.

"Ah! Finally!" Raiden huffed, "I've been trying to contact you for minutes! Anyway, did you get all the ingredients?"

"Sure have!" Honda answered, "We got seven flasks of chlorophyll, seven bee enzymes—and all seven bottles of distilled water!"

"Great!" Raiden praised, "Now go find a crafting station and churn up that Vector! You'll find a U-Invent machine in the main part of the old Farmer's Market."

"Got it." Atem replied. The screen flicked off. By then, the Power to the People station had finished its work. Honda eagerly removed his upgraded pistol from the capsule and smiled to himself. The gun had been fully repaired and the bullet casing had beefed up in size.

"Perfect! Let's see how the splicers can stand up to this beauty!" Honda mused and stored it on his person.

"Well, I guess I have to get going." Bakura stated smugly.

"Huh? So soon?" Jonouchi asked. "But we just got back together."

"Relax!" Bakura assured, "We'll chat with each other at another time. Right now, I'm itching to find some more treasure! See ya!" And with that, the hacker rushed out of sight in a flash.

"Geez! He could have been a useful ally." Mai muttered.

"Let's forget about him for the time being." Pegasus suggested. "Right now we need to head back to the main hall of the old Market so that Honda Boy can finish what his aunt had started."

"Right." Raphael agreed. "Let's head back and cook up that Vector!" The others nodded and hurried out of the Winery.

* * *

There was a faint dolphin whistle echoing in the halls when the team exited the tunnel. "Blossom?" Pegasus requested, "See if you can locate that U-Invent machine."

"Okie-Dokie Master!" Blossom squeaked happily. Soon she scanned the abandoned marketplace until finally… "There it is!" the doll gasped, "It's in that huge room down the stairs to the left hand side!" Everyone rushed over to the spot where they got a good view of the room below—a large grassy 'yard' complete with sidewalks and small gardens. On the very far side of this room was the U-Invent machine they were searching for.

"This is it Honda." Atem encouraged, "It's time to make Julie's dream come true."

"Yeah." Honda replied, "I'm a little nervous, but hey! I've always wanted to be an inventor. And I want to make Aunt Julie proud."

"Then let's get on with it!" Yugi shouted enthusiastically.

"WAIT!" Blossom suddenly squeaked. "Something's coming! A-a Hunter! A Big Bertha! A-a-and she's not alone!" Soon a loud dolphin whistle pierced the silent walls, followed by some heavy footsteps. Before long a huge Bouncer lumbered into full view from the far side of the yard. And strolling by the Hunter's side was another figure. It was a girl, no older than fifteen. She had a slim figure, and long straight auburn hair that reached her hips. The bangs parted neatly from the forehead in two thick strands, with a small lock of hair in the middle for a cute effect. She wore nothing but a bloodstained tank top, tattered blue capris and a pair of dull blue sneakers, both having huge holes that exposed her toes like a pair of makeshift sandals. She also carried a rifle-shaped syringe over her shoulder. What's even more disturbing was that her skin was ghostly pale with a gray pallor, just like a Scavenger's. Her blank eyes, though, glowed with a dark orange shade.

"It's a Reaper!" Mai gasped. As the team watched, the Reaper hummed to herself until she stopped in the center of the large room with the Big Bertha.

"C'mon Buttercup," The Reaper stated, "let's take a look around. My slug is feeling a little hungry, and those angels could be anywhere." The Big Bertha whistled and nodded in agreement and began to walk in another direction. The Reaper then spotted the corpse of a freshly dead splicer. "Oh! Here's one!" She knelt down and began to thrust her rifle syringe to gather the Nagi.

"You know, this Reaper looks kinda cute." Honda commented.

"Just let her be, Honda." Varon stated, "You got some more important business to-"

"Hey, hold on!" Jonouchi gasped suddenly, his eyes on the Reaper. The look of surprise was evident in his expression. "Is that…? Can it be?" He leaned forward for a closer look and his eyes widened in shock. "IT IS! SHIZUKA!" In an instant he shoved Kaiba to the side and ran down the stairs, taking the quickest route to the bottom.

"What the hell is going on with you Mutt?" Kaiba bellowed. Jonouchi chose to ignore that insult, concentrating on the Reaper before him.

"J-Jonouchi!" Yugi gasped. "You know that Reaper?"

"YEAH!" Jonouchi barked in determination, "SHE'S MY LITTLE SISTER!"

Note: CLIFFHANGER! Our Heroes are forced to fight what is revealed to be Jonouchi's little sister, Shizuka, and her Hunter companion! How did Shizuka become a Reaper? Can she be saved? What was she doing in Kyoki to begin with? Find out in the next chapter of Plasmashock! Until Next Time!


	29. Chapter 29

Note: Yeah! Finally finished with the latest chapter! I've said it once and I'll say it again: Writing this thing is not easy! It took me some time to think of ideas to tie the plot together. It's times like this that I'm glad I got my brother around to help me. It's definitely worth it in the end. Thank so so much for all those reviews! Keep them coming! I need all the encouragement I can get! Anyway, on with the story: Our heroes encounter an unexpected Reaper encounter: the little sister of Jonouchi Katsuya! What will happen? Read and find out! Hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 29: To Reap and to Sow**

Everyone stared at Jonouchi in shock, especially Atem, who knew about Shizuka. How did his best friend's little sister get down here? In Kyoki? And as a Reaper? But now was not the time to answer that question, because Jonouchi was speeding right toward the Reaper, who was in the process of gulping down the used Nagi!

"JONOUCHI, WAIT! COME BACK!" Atem desperately shouted. But the sandy blonde did not hear him; so intent was he at making contact with the little sister he hadn't seen for so long.

"SHIZUKA!" He exclaimed when he finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Shizuka had finished her 'drink' and wiped her mouth with her arm when her frantic brother ran to her side and spun her around, gently clutching her be the biceps. In an instant, her glowing blank eyes widened with fear. "Shizuka, it's all right!" Jonouchi tried to reassure, "There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Who—who are you?" she gasped.

Jonouchi stared at his sister in shock, but composed himself. "It's me! Jonouchi! Your big brother, remember?"

But Shizuka shook her head. "No… No! I don't know you! Let me go!"

"Shizuka calm down! I'm not one of the bad guys!" Jonouchi stated, although he was beginning to panic. Apparently his little sister wanted none of that. And as she tried to pull away from his grip, heartbroken tears formed in his eyes. "Please Shizuka! Why can't you recognize me?"

"BUTTERCUP, HELP!" Shizuka screamed, "HELP ME!" In an instant, the Big Bertha spun around, and when she perceived the supposed threat, the yellow lights in her helmet turned red. With an angry dolphin screech, she lunged toward her target.

"WHOA! HEY!" Jonouchi exclaimed in horror, releasing his grip on his sister as he frantically dodged the incoming drill arm. "YAAAH!" The drill struck the ground near the sandy blonde barely missing him by an inch. But that didn't deter the Hunter. She just yanked the drill right out. By now, Jonouchi was quaking. "M-M-Mr. Bubbles! I mean, Miss Buttercup! I-I-I'm one of the good guys!" The angry Hunter threw a punch at the sandy blonde, forcing him to duck. "I'm not here to harvest your friend! B-besides, she's my sister a-a-and I haven't seen her since she finished kindergarten!" But the large fist of the Hunter grabbed Jonouchi by the head and roughly tossed him to the other side of the yard. He was battered from equally rough landing, but otherwise unharmed.

"Anzu!" Atem shouted, "You have the Hunter Friendship plasmid! Get that Bouncer to calm down!"

"I don't think that's possible!" Anzu replied hastily, "The Hunter Friendship plasmid doesn't work if the Hunter is already in protective battle mode! And once they're in that mode, they won't stop until their attacker is dead!"

Kaiba shot a glare at the scene below. "If that's the case, then we have no choice but to put this Big Bertha to sleep!" And with that, he leapt gracefully toward the Bouncer, not even bothering to take the stairs.

"Kaiba!" Yugi shouted.

"Damn it!" Raphael cursed. "I don't care if he's the Splicer Killer, he won't stand a chance on his own!"

Anzu spun to her own Hunter. "Beta! We have to protect our friends!" Beta moaned in agreement, and the green lights soon turned blue. Anzu climbed onto the Big Daddy's shoulders. "Let's go!" she shouted. And the two of them leapt into the fray.

"I'm with you!" Mai added and leapt down. It was Kaiba, however, who made the first strike against the Big Bertha. He struck her on the arm with one of his gauntlet blades, slashing through the leather to make a large gash. The Bouncer screeched in pain and fury, forcing Shizuka to back away from the melee. In retaliation, the Hunter threw a side punch on the Splicer Killer, knocking him to the ground. She was about to thrust her drill into him when Beta fired his rivet gun.

"Sorry, but we have to do this!" Anzu shouted from on top and tossed her blade boomerang. It punctured into the Big Bertha's thick leg, blood gushing out of a grievous wound. But it only made the opposing Hunter even angrier. She bull-rushed into Beta, trusting her spinning drill into the Rosie's ribs before he could defend himself. The impact was enough to knock the diplomatic protector off her Big Daddy's shoulders.

"ANZU!" Jonouchi exclaimed as he watched her fall. The Bouncer pulled her drill right out of the wounded Beta, and as he collapsed to his knees she turned her attention toward Anzu. Anzu's expression became that of fear.

"ANZU! WATCH OUT!" Atem hollered. The Big Bertha raised her drill, and Anzu frantically rolled to the left to avoid the first thrust, then to the right on the second thrust.

"She's gonna be skewered like a shish kabob!" Jonouchi shouted, rising to his knees, "Do something, Mai!"

"The winds of my Cyclone plasmid can't lift a large enemy like a Hunter." Mai explained, before her lips suddenly shifted into a confident smirk. "But it can in Overdrive mode!" She lifted her hands up high and the power of her plasmid intensified. "PLASMA HURRICANE!" The powerful winds took the Big Bertha by surprise and in spite of her efforts to resist, she was lifted up into the air with a loud dolphin screech. Everyone watched as the cyclone spun the Hunter around and bashed her against the walls. When it was all over, she fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Kaiba slowly got to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth with his forearm. "Thanks. I'll take it from here." And as he stepped toward the struggling Bouncer, he willed the gauntlet machines to morph into drills.

Shizuka crept out of hiding from behind a crate, and her eyes widened in horror. "NO! DON'T!" she cried. But it was already too late. The Splicer Killer jumped up and dealt the killing blow, plunging his whirling drills onto the Big Bertha's back. "NOOOO!" she screamed in grief, and rushed over to her dead partner. "BUTTERCUP! OPEN YOUR EYES!" The Reaper wept bitterly, mourning the loss of her friend. While Kaiba walked away from the corpse with no tears in his eyes, the rest of the team looked on at the sad scene before them… especially Jonouchi, who couldn't help but feel sorry for his little sister. For all he knew, that Hunter was the only friend she ever had. Slowly, he approached her, and knelt beside her.

"Shizuka?" He stated, "We're very sorry. We didn't really want to do this, but we had no choice." He reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder.

But the Reaper spun around, and her eyes glowed with fury. "YOU BASTARD!" She shrieked, "YOU KILLED BUTTERCUP! YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Shizuka leapt up upon her fallen Bouncer, and the air around her literally grew cold; so much so that snow began to swirl around her, surprising everyone—even Kaiba! Then some of the snow swirled between her palms and formed into an icy sword. Then she grabbed hold of the ice blade, and leapt again with a scream of fury: this time toward Jonouchi, in an all out attack! The sandy blonde was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, and he lifted his own flaming sword in an attempt to defend himself. The swords clashed. In the initial struggle, he was shocked to find that his fire did not melt the ice blade at all. _Damn!_ Jonouchi muttered in his head, _She's more powerful than I thought!_ Again and again, the Reaper swung her blade. Again and again, Jonouchi blocked her attacks. _Aw man, what should I do? I can't hurt my sister!_ Eventually, he jumped away to avoid being cut cleanly in two.

"You calm down RIGHT NOW!" Kaiba bellowed, taking a step forward.

"Kaiba NO!" Anzu screamed, trying to stop him. But the Splicer Killer unleashed the ice spikes of his Blizzard plasmid onto the Reaper. But Shizuka saw it coming from behind, and she spun around. With a swish of her left hand, she forced Kaiba's ice attack right back at him. Startled, Kaiba quickly willed his machines to morph into sword blades and slashed the ice spikes to pieces before they struck him. He quickly charged toward the Reaper, and with a battle cry he sliced off both of her arms in one stroke! But soon the detached arms grabbed onto him by the trenchcoat.

"HEY! GET OFF OF ME!" Kaiba bellowed as the arms climbed upward on his body like a piranha desperate for prey. Before he voice any more of his anger, the hand of one arm covered up his face. The other arm wrapped around his right biceps to restrain it to his body, and immediately its hand clutched his neck. The hand began to squeeze hard onto the neck, and Kaiba struggled to breathe. Desperately he tried to pry the disembodied limbs off of him, but they were just too strong. He crumpled to the ground.

"Let him go Shizuka!" Mai hollered and ran over to grab Shizuka. She spun around, however, and struck her with a roundhouse kick. The violet-eyed shutterbug was forced to raise her arms to block the attack.

"MURDERERS!" Shizuka screamed in fury. She then attacked again, striking Mai with a headbutt as soon as her guard was down.

"Beta!" Anzu shouted, pointing to Kaiba. "Save him!" Without hesitation, Beta rushed to a struggling Kaiba and pried off the severed arms with his own incredible strength, allowing the Splicer Killer to breathe again. The Rosie tossed the arms to the ground, which immediately traveled back to their Reaper owner like a mix between an inchworm and a spider. Shizuka knelt down and allowed her right arm to reattach to her shoulder and heal. When that was done, she picked up her left arm.

"Buttercup was my best friend! MY BEST FRIEND!" she roared as she reattached her left arm, "We were there for each other in every battle we took part in! SHE WILL BE AVENGED!" The snowflakes returned with full force, swirling around her. Soon the snowflakes formed into a 'swarm' of small ice daggers.

"Shizuka… please! S-STOP!" Jonouchi begged, raising his sword in defense.

But the Reaper did not listen. Her eyes glowed with incredible power, and she thrust her hand outward. "ICICLE BARRAGE!" In an instant, the ice daggers flew outward like a fast paced explosion. As Mai, Kaiba and Jonouchi soon discovered, the icicles did not melt into sheets of ice on contact, but instead grazed at their flesh like serrated knives. They all screamed in pain. Luckily for Anzu, Beta had sensed the danger and quickly jumped in front of her to protect her from the icy projectiles, taking the majority of the assault. Yet in spite of that devastating attack, they still managed to prevent the barrage from plunging into their bodies and therefore killing them. Nevertheless, they were left wounded and bleeding. Jonouchi struggled to keep standing. There were tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Shizuka…" he whimpered.

"Ugh!" Kaiba grunted, "She's as powerful as Kisara! If this keeps up, we'll all be dead! We have to do something!"

"But we can't harvest her!" Mai noted, "That would prove to her that we're no different from the splicers! And besides, she Jonouchi's little sister! He would be heartbroken if she gets harvested!"

"…I know." Kaiba muttered. "Harvesting a Reaper is the last thing I want to do."

Back on the top of the stairs Atem suddenly shouted. "Anzu! Is there any way we can save Shizuka?"

"Well, since you mentioned it, there is!" Anzu replied, "The Restoration plasmid! It works on the Reapers the exact same way it works on the Scavengers! I know this for sure, because I was the first one rescued by that plasmid when it was created!" Atem's eyes widened with sudden inspiration.

"Yugi! Honda! Pegasus! Follow my lead!" Atem commanded, and with that, he leapt down to the 'yard'.

Yugi quickly understood what his friend was talking about and turned toward Honda and Pegasus. "You heard him! Let's go!" The Telekinesis wielder and the plasmid merchant both nodded in agreement and together with Yugi, they followed Atem to join their friends.

"Hey! Didn't your mother tell you it's not nice to throw ice at people?" Honda shouted upon landing. That grabbed Shizuka's attention. Burning with fury, She summoned his ice blade and charged toward him. But Honda was ready. As soon as she swung her blade, he quickly dodged.

"Oh my! Looks like someone wants to play tag!" Pegasus stated with a smug look on his face.

"You're it!" Blossom squeaked likewise.

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE FUN OF ME!" Shizuka roared and once again swung her ice blade in a failed attempt to attack her new foes.

"ANZU!" Atem shouted to the diplomatic protector, "THE PLASMID!"

"GOT IT!" Anzu replied and tossed the second dose of the Restoration plasmid in question. Atem gracefully caught the bottle and hurried over to his childhood friend while the Reaper was distracted.

"Jonouchi." The Bolt wielder stated, holding up the bottle. "You want to save your sister? This is your chance to do it." He then proceeded to fill the syringe and plunge its needle into the sandy blonde's left arm, giving him the injection.

Jonouchi let out a brief yelp before he screamed in frustration, "STOP DOING THAT! I can inject plasmids myself you know!" In reply to the complaint, Atem simply yanked out the now empty syringe, earning yet another yelp from his friend.

"I know it'll hurt you to do this," Atem stated, "but I want you to go all out and attack your sister."

"WHAT?" Jonouchi hollered in terror, "N-NO! I WON'T DO IT!"

"Don't worry Jonouchi! Shizuka is a Reaper, so she won't be harmed! I'm only asking you to do this because we have to restrain her, and the only way to do that is to stun her. Once that is done… you know what to do with that plasmid."

For a while, Jonouchi just stood there, panting and staring. Then finally, he nodded and replied, "Anything to save my sister." In spite of all the pain, he lifted his sword. He turned his attention to his angry little sister, who was still making failed attempts to attack Honda and Pegasus. "HEY! SHIZUKA!" Jonouchi roared, "COME OVER HERE AND FACE ME! I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU, BUT YOU'RE LEAVING ME NO CHOICE!"

She spun around and the ice daggers of her Overdrive Ability. "SHUT THE FUCK UP! ICICLE BARRAGE!" Once more the barrage of icicles hurtled toward the sandy blonde. But this time, he was ready. He stood his ground. Just before the icicles struck, he put his sword diagonally in front of him like a samurai warrior. The steel of the flaming blade was strong, blocking a vast majority of the icicles and melting them into puddles of water. Some icicles scraped his right arm and leg, but those were the only additional injuries he got.

_Forgive me Sis,_ Jonouchi thought, _but I have to do this!_ With all his might, he channeled the power of his upgraded Overdrive Ability into his sword. "SPINNING INFERNO!" Once he formed his ring of fire with a spin, he tossed it right onto the Reaper. It came at her so fast that she didn't even have the time to react. She screamed as the powerful blast knocked her off her feet.

"Now Anzu!" Yugi exclaimed, "Grab her!" In a flash, he and Anzu pounced upon the fallen Shizuka, each grabbing hold of an arm and pinning her down so that she was forced to kneel.

"L-Let go of me!" Shizuka barked.

"It's all right Shizuka." Anzu stated calmly. The Reaper's eyes suddenly widened in surprise and she slowly turned toward the diplomatic protector.

"…Anzu? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me." Anzu replied softly. At that very moment, the wounded Jonouchi stumbled toward his sister.

"You see Shizuka? We are friends." Jonouchi explained. He collapsed on his knees before his sister. The coals of the Blaze Plasmid began to vanish as he prepared his first—and perhaps, his greatest—rescue. "Please… look at me! I know you can remember me somehow! And I'm here to save you!" Soon the white cracks of the Restoration plasmid spread out on his skin as he reached out lovingly toward the Reaper.

Shizuka stared at him in awe. Soon images filled her head… images of when she was a small child. In many of them, she was a playing with a little boy: a little boy who was awfully familiar. She suddenly gasped. Why didn't she recognize him before? "…Jonouchi?"

Immediately, Jonouchi took hold of his sister's head, cradling it in his hand. The cracks of white light spread onto the Reaper's skin from that of her rescuer. It was only then that Anzu and Yugi let go, allowing the sandy blonde to hold Shizuka close to him. With a determined cry, he lifted his head up high and let the Restoration plasmid do its work. Bright light filled the room and soon he gently tossed his sister into the air, allowing her to float gently down to the ground. When at last the light faded, she stood before the whole team. Her amazement was apparent when she looked over herself. Her skin had become the color of cream, and the blank orange glow had become irises of pure hazel. At her feet was the dead rapture slug. Its whole body was covered with swelling bumps and oozing sores… proof that it shouldered all of the Reaper's burdens, allowing her to use the Nagi without suffering the damage that comes with it.

She looked up at Jonouchi, and the two siblings stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. The Blaze plasmid returned to view on the skin of its wielder by that time, once more boiling the rivers of blood that covered parts of his body. Finally, the sandy blonde smiled… and fell completely to the ground as if drifting into unconsciousness. Shizuka's eyes widened in shock, before welling with tears. "JONOUCHI!" she cried and rushed over to her brother. Atem and the others came over to their friend as well; Raphael, Amelda and Varon had started running all the way down the stairs to do just that. The former Reaper lifted Jonouchi up in her arms, filled with incredible guilt. "Oh Jonouchi! I'm so sorry!"

Jonouchi opened his eyes and once more gave a gentle smile. "It's alright Sis. None of it was your fault. You were just standing up for a fallen friend, that's all."

"But—but I didn't recognize you!" Shizuka sobbed, "I even went as far as to hurt you! And now you're… you're dying!"

"Hey, no need to worry." Jonouchi reassured, "I'm not dead yet."

As if on cue, Yugi shouted to his fellow Mermaid Agents. "Guys! Hurry up and get the Nami serum! And a couple of bandages from the first-aid kit won't hurt either!"

"Yeah!" Mai added, "Get your asses over here before he really dies on us!"

"On our way Mate!" Varon exclaimed, taking out a first-aid kit from his pouch when he, Amelda and Raphael made it down, speeding toward their friend as fast as they could.

"I'll help out a little too." Honda added, taking out a syringe of Nami and proceeding with the first injection.

"And while we're at it, Mai, we'll fix you and Kaiba up as well." Varon noted to the violet-eyed shutterbug, tending to her wounds, "That chick really gave you a beating!"

"Well, she is a good fighter. I can respect her for that." Kaiba complimented as he got bandages wrapped around his right arm.

"Said the Refrigerator Boy who struck the killing blow on her Big Bertha." Jonouchi insulted with a smirk, earning a growl from the Splicer Killer. The sandy blonde returned his gaze onto his sister as Atem gave him another dose of Nami. "But really, we didn't mean to take away your friend. We didn't want to provoke either of you. It just that… we've been separated for about ten years! I just had to see you again! And… I guess I wasn't thinking straight." He paused to take a few breaths, before he asked, "Will you forgive us for what we did to you and your buddy?"

Shizuka gave a small smile, though her eyes misted with more tears. "After risking your very lives to make me human again, why would I not?"

"… Glad to hear it." Suddenly, Jonouchi closed his eyes and fell limp.

"JONOUCHI!" Shizuka gasped in horror. Right at that moment, the sandy blonde began to snore. Loudly. By that time most of his wounds were healed by the Nami serum. But not all of them. Fortunately Mai had healed enough to help bind the remaining injuries.

"He'll be fine Hon." Mai reassured, "He just needs some rest, that's all."

"Not to mention a small trip to the Vita-Chamber." Raphael added.

"And that counts for you and Kaiba as well." Amelda reminded the violet-eyed shutterbug.

"Thanks for the reminder." Mai replied.

"Well, in any case," Honda stated, standing up, "We better get back to business. Now that all the excitement is over, I'm gonna get on with making the Lazarus Vector." And with that, he stepped over toward the U-Invent Machine on the other side of the 'yard'. "All right… " He muttered to himself, and pushed some buttons on the Machine to activate it. "Let's set it to 'Lazarus Vector' and start mixing the ingredients together." He proceeded to pour in the distilled water carefully from the seven bottles, one by one. The computer on the U-Invent Machine began analyzing the contents being added. "Now we add the chlorophyll." Since that ingredient came in flasks, he wasn't as worried about spilling the contents as he was with the distilled water, so he emptied the flasks in a quick pace. Still, he did not let himself become reckless. Soon the two ingredients within the Machine began to mingle. Honda checked the screen. "So far so good. Now all we need is the enzymes."

"And what do we do then?" Blossom asked curiously.

"We wait for a few minutes for the brew to mix together." Pegasus explained for her.

"Oooh." The doll replied. "So it's like making soup!"

"That's right!" Pegasus replied happily, cuddling Blossom. Meanwhile, Atem and Yugi dragged the sleeping Jonouchi to a more comfortable spot.

"Is he always this heavy?" Yugi complained.

"Only when he dozes off." Atem replied as he gently placed his friend's head down. Once the sandy blonde was in place, the Bolt wielder then approached Shizuka, who had been watching. "Are you all right?"

"I… uh… I don't really know for sure." Shizuka answered hesitantly.

"It's okay." Atem reassured. "You've been through a lot. By the way, Jonouchi told me so much about you. In spite of the circumstances, it's good to finally meet you."

Curious, she asked, "How did you know my brother?"

"We met when we were in fourth grade." Atem answered, "We've been best friends ever since. Still, he really missed you a lot since you left. Why else would he rush after you?" The former Reaper smiled. "Now that I think about it," Atem stated, "How did you manage to get down here in the first place? And why? What happened?"

Once more Shizuka grew pensive. "You… really want me to tell you this? The memories I have are very painful to me." Right at that moment Honda proceeded to add the final eyedropper's worth of bee enzymes. Once all the ingredients were put together, he pushed a few more buttons on the U-Invent's computer.

"There! We're on our way." Honda announced, "This may take a while before it gets finished, though." He turned his attention to the former Reaper. "You know Shizuka, I think it would be best if you tell us about it. It's a good way to pass the time, and besides, it would help us understand you a little better." Realizing that all encouraging eyes were on her, Shizuka sighed.

"After my parents got divorced and I got separated from my big brother, my mother started dating a new man. As fate would have it, her new boyfriend turned out to be a trusted acquaintance of Ryu Mutou and he invited us to go down and live in Kyoki. Naturally, she accepted. Although she was sad about leaving without Jonouchi, she would do anything to go as far away as possible from our dad. So we set out at sea until we reached the lighthouse, and from there we made it to this city. It was the most beautiful place I ever saw when I first came here. True there were some troubles going on, but that didn't bother us. We were very happy down here… at least, for while we were. But then… some splicers attacked and destroyed our apartment, killing my mom's boyfriend in the process. Before we even knew it, we were homeless and struggling to survive in the streets. Mom had a very hard time earning enough money to buy food for the both of us. Finally in August of 2002, she became desperate. She took me to the doorstep of a certain orphanage… the Otouto Imouto Orphanage. Then she kissed me goodbye and left me there. I never saw her again."

"The Otouto Imouto Orphanage…" Pegasus repeated with a frown. "Wasn't that place founded by Dartz?"

"Yeah, I heard about that place!" Yugi replied, "That was where all the Scavengers used to live before the Shootout took place."

"You couldn't be more correct." Shizuka confirmed sadly. "It was at that place where my life took a turn for the worse. Yes, Dartz took me in. But before I was even assigned a room I was taken to Suchong's laboratory and converted into a living Nagi factory… what you now call a Scavenger." She went over to pick up the dead rapture slug. "Do you know how the rapture slug gets imbedded into the stomach lining of its host? Well… the host simply has to swallow it whole. It's a very painful process, because the slug is alive the whole time. Once it enters the stomach, it attaches to the lining and neutralizes all the stomach acids, thereby taking control of the host's entire digestive system. From that point on, the slug and its host will depend on each other for their mutual survival. The host no longer feels the need to eat or drink, as the slug gives them the nutrients they need. And as an additional bonus, the slug bestows upon its host the power of regeneration. In exchange for that benefit, the host must provide sustenance for the slug itself. It's as simple as that.

"I remember when I was forced to swallow this slug. It was awful. It was like a frog forcing itself inside your throat—a frog with small razor sharp teeth and covered with slime that burns like fire. Then the pain spread through my whole body. My skin turned a ghostly gray hue, and my eyes turned blank and began to glow. And although my voice remained the same as it always was, it now seemed to be accompanied by this low undertone… as though a demon was speaking whenever I do. It was scary." She paused for a moment, shaking at the very thought of that memory. "When it was done, I spent the rest of the month at the orphanage with the other Scavengers, induced to regurgitate the Nagi under mental conditioning. I met Anzu Mazaki during that time, and we became friends. But then after the Shootout on September 12 of that same year, Suchong and his team of scientist raided the Orphanage. Some of the Scavengers and Reapers managed to flee with Tenenbaum after the raid of her apartment. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. Along with many others, I was taken straight to where Ryu Mutou worked. Upon learning the presence of Scavengers like myself, Mutou wasted no time creating sketch plans for the Little Wonders School. The construction was completed a year later, and it has been my home up until this day. Since the Otouto Imouto Orphanage was no longer accessible, Suchong and Mutou decided to find a way to recycle the Nagi. That was how it got started, the job of harvesting Nagi from the bodies of the dead. Suchong and his cronies would bring the corpses of supposed traitors, and they conditioned us to use those hypodermic syringes shaped like pistols to extract Nagi from those bodies and take it into themselves.

"It wasn't until about a week before the 2006 New Years attack that they started sending the Scavengers out to the streets to search for the 'angels' on our own. The first Hunters were created for the very purpose of protecting us; Suchong and Mutou knew very well of our Achilles Heel. By then, however, I was no longer a Scavenger; I had become a full-fledged Reaper. As the years pass by, the slug would heighten the host's gift of regeneration. The host also gains the ability to use the raw Nagi in their bodies, transforming them into powerful and capable warriors. The price for such power remained the same, but the demand to pay it grows even higher… until finally, the symbiotic relationship is severed. This results in the death of the host. Many Reapers like myself had been trained in the arts of battle, to become super soldiers in the Kyoki Wars. We fought on both sides just so we can nourish the slug with the Nagi it demands and stave off the inevitable collapse of our symbiosis. But eventually, my Reapers could not escape death any further. Most were killed when the splicers exploited their weak points and harvested them. Others were slain when the slugs severed their symbiotic relationship. I managed to survive with the help of my Hunter companion. Even so, I just couldn't help but think about how miserable my life had become since I came to this city. Since my symbiotic relationship with the rapture slug is growing unstable, I knew that I was going to die at any minute. And I thought that, at this point… I would never see my brother Jonouchi again. So I forced myself to forget… just so I can cope." Shizuka was in tears by the time she finished her story.

Atem gently put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Shizuka. You don't have to worry about dying anymore. Thanks to Jonouchi's bravery, you are now free from the grip of the rapture slug. And I assure you, when this war is over we will give back the happiness that was stolen from you."

"You mean it?" Shizuka asked.

"Every word of it." Atem replied.

Suddenly, there was a buzz coming from the U-Invent Machine. "Oh!" Honda gasped joyfully, "The Lazarus Vector is finished!" The Telekinesis wielder rushed over to the station. "Finally! The moment of truth! Let's see how this baby turned out." Carefully, he removed the bottle containing a glowing liquid of a pale blue-green color.

"Well would you look at that!" Kaiba mused.

"I have to admit Honda Boy, you were superb on your first try." Pegasus complimented.

Honda began to cry gushing waterfalls, filled with pride. "Isn't it beautiful? My very first invention! My baby! Aunt Julie worked so hard for this moment! _Sniff_… If only she's around to see this!"

"She might as well be Honda, even in death. I'm certain she's very proud of you." Anzu stated with a smile. At that moment, Atem's Video Phone emitted its call. Raiden soon appeared onscreen.

"Well, by the sound of that U-Invent Machine and the looks of, uh… happy alligator tears, I'd say your friend Honda is the proud father of a beautiful Lazarus Vector." Raiden stated.

"You got that right." Atem agreed.

"Okay, now let's head back to the Langford Laboratory in Arcadia and put this baby to good use."

"Got it!" Yugi replied before Raiden ended the call. The League Leader turned toward his fellows. "You ready guys? Let's go and save Arcadia!"

"YEAH!" Raphael barked enthusiastically.

"You said it!" Mai shouted. The others voiced their agreement as well.

"We'll have to wake Jonouchi up first. Gimmie a minute." Varon noted, speeding over to shake the sleeping figure in question.

Shizuka turned her attention back to the Bolt wielder. She smiled for the second time since her liberation. "Thank you… Thank you for saving me."

"You should thank your brother." Atem replied, "He was the one who freed you from your misery. I only gave him the means to do it."

Shizuka nodded. Then she asked, "By the way… how did you and Jonouchi manage to find Kyoki? Not very many know it exists, so how is it that you're able to locate this city and come here?"

Atem scratched the back of his head over the awkwardness of the question. "It's a long story. We'll tell you on the way to Arcadia. That is… once Jonouchi wakes up."

Note: In the next chapter of Plasmashock, our heroes head back to the laboratory to save Arcadia using the newly-made Lazarus Vector. Once more, however, Ryu Mutou decides to interfere. Will they be able to overcome this madman's latest attempt? Until Next Time!


	30. Chapter 30

Note: It took me while to finish up this chapter, but I did it! Battle scenes are really hard to think up without help! Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting. I just hope you'll enjoy this chapter. So on to the story. The Lazarus Vector is finished, but the battle's not over yet! Enjoy!**  
**

**Chapter 30: Paradise Revived**

In his office, Mutou stared at the screen ahead of him, watching the group travel out of the Old Farmer's Market. His eyes were fixed upon two young men in particular: his son, Yugi… and the boy who looked just like his son. "Hmmm… I guess even without Yugi's help, those traitorous rebels and parasites are more persistent than I realized. Especially that boy… If he doesn't work for the MSS or the DIH, or even the CIA… then who exactly is he working for?" It wasn't long before his breath became shaky and sweat began to trickle down his brow. He felt a sudden stirring in his heart. _What the hell?_ He pounded a fist onto his desk, clutching his forehead with his other hand. _What is he doing to me? The more I look at him, the more I learn about him, the more I… I…_ The King of Kyoki looked up at the monitor again_. It's like there's a part of me that actually… __wants__ him to succeed! NO! I can't let him do this to me! I CAN'T!_

Right at that moment a splicer guard came over to his master. "Sir? Is somethin' wrong?"

Mutou gasped in surprise, but quickly composed himself while keeping his eyes on the screen. "No. It's nothing. Gather up the splicers. Send as many as you can to Arcadia, especially to the Langford Laboratory. We cannot allow those traitors to survive long enough to undo the poison and revive the trees."

"Yes sir, b-but won't the lack of oxygen kill 'em for us?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes," Mutou replied, "But one of their own has just succeeded in creating the Lazarus Vector! They must be eliminated before they use it!"

"Right away sir!" answered the splicer guard before he began to run out of the office.

"And don't forget!" Mutou commanded, "Whatever you do, make sure the splicers do NOT lay a finger on my son!"

"Yes Sir!" The guard repeated before disappearing altogether.

Mutou let out a sigh. "I don't care if he has turned against me." He muttered sadly. "I love Yugi. And I can't stand the thought of losing him… the same way I lost my wife."

* * *

Close to the entrance of the Old Farmer's Market, Atem was squeezing the Nagi out of the dead rapture slug into the glass bottle that was his 'wallet'. "160 Nagi." Yugi mused as he watched his doppelganger. "That's exactly half as much from rescuing a Reaper like Shizuka."

"And to think you can get that exact amount of Nagi from harvesting Scavengers!" Pegasus added. "Of course, I don't want to harvest either the Scavengers or the Reapers, but that's beside the point."

"Well, no matter which 'factory' it's from," Atem stated, "it's always better to get half the number of Nagi than to get the full amount."

"I agree with you on that one Pal!" Jonouchi replied. "Besides, none of us have a desire for more power than we need. And that makes saving those kids all the more rewarding."

"I'm happy that you care about others like me Jonouchi." Shizuka stated with a smile. "And your friends too. I can only imagine how many Scavengers you saved since you came here!"

"I-it's nothing Sis." Jonouchi answered sheepishly. But soon his expression grew serious. "But really, I don't care if it's Dartz or Mutou that put you all through this. Either way, they'll both pay for all the pain they've caused you." The sandy blonde clenched his fist in growing fury. Since he woke up, Atem had told him everything that happened to his little sister, of how she came to Kyoki and how she came to be the way she was when they found her. He couldn't imagine that his own mother would grow desperate enough to abandon Shizuka at Dartz's doorstep! Nor could he imagine his sister being forced to go through all those the mental conditioning excercises like so many Scavengers before her… and after her as well. "I swear… they're going down! And this time, it's personal!"

Mai let out a sympathetic sigh. "Jonouchi must be really shocked when he found her." she stated to Atem. "I mean, he lived his life without knowing that the one person close to him is living and suffering at the bottom of the sea."

"Yes, but that doesn't matter now." Atem replied with a gentle smile. "What matters is that Shizuka is safe, and that she and her brother are finally together again. In the meantime though, we need to hurry back to the Langford Laboratory."

"Right!" Varon agreed. "We've got to get that Lazarus Vector out to the trees!"

"I couldn't agree with you more." Added Raphael, "That rose bush in the grotto isn't enough prevent the poison cloud from taking down the city, and the Safehouses with it. Using this Vector is the only way to eliminate that poison once and for all!"

"Time is of the essence guys!" Honda stated, "Let's get it on!" So with strong determination, the team sped over to the metal door leading to Arcadia.

Once they made it back to the ruined paradise, Yugi stepped ahead and warned, "All right, listen to me carefully: Whatever you do, do not let your guard down. You never know when my father will bring about his next attack." No sooner than the League leader finished than Atem's Video Phone signaled its call. Soon a certain tyrant appeared onscreen.

"Well played, Parasites." Ryu Mutou muttered with a smirk.

"Whoa!" Anzu gasped, "Speak of the Devil!"

"I'm highly impressed by your tenacity," Mutou continued, his smirk fading into a frown, "But don't bother trying to fight the inevitable. Very soon, you'll all run out of oxygen, and before you know it, you'll be put to sleep."

"We'll see about that Mutou!" Atem retorted, "In case you haven't noticed, we have the Lazarus Vector to undo your poison!"

"Bold words Boy." Mutou stated, "In that case, I'll make sure you and you friends don't live long enough to use it." It was at that moment that the sirens sounded the alarm. Moments after that, the team heard the beating of propellers in the air, along with a high pitched sounds of machinery. And all of that was heading right towards them! "Sayonara." Mutou simply stated before ending the call. Soon a trio of Security Bots came into view.

"What a nuisance!" Pegasus barked, and he fired his machine gun at the Security Bots, destroying them instantly. "Is that the best he can do?"

Right on cue, several more Security Bots came flying—more than they can count!

"OH SHIT! YOU SPOKE TOO SOON, PEGASUS!" Amelda screamed.

"RUN! RUN NOW!" Kaiba commanded. And run they did, speeding past the multitude of their robotic assailants, dodging their bullets as they traveled down the dead hallways. Beta took it upon himself to carry Anzu, while deterring Security Bots that came too close. Even Jonouchi and Honda went out of their way to shield Shizuka from harm.

"Yugi!" Atem shouted, "If you have any ideas, now's the time speak up!"

"It's funny you should say that! I know of a Shutdown Device that can deactivate those Bots!" Yugi replied, "Follow me!" The Prince of Kyoki cut a corner, and the rest of the team followed in suit. They all ran ahead of their pursuers, until at last Yugi found his target. "There! It's up here!" he exclaimed, pointing to a machine located at the top of a ledge, "Pull that switch and it'll turn off!"

"But how?" Atem asked in growing panic, "There's no way to reach it!"

"Leave that to me!" Mai stated, and quickly she activated her Cyclone plasmid and placed it close to the ledge.

"Thanks Mai!" Atem stated. By then, the swarm of Security Bots had caught up with the team, so the Bolt wielder wasted no time in using the windy elevator. Once at the top, he grabbed hold of the lever with both hands. At first, it wouldn't budge at all.

The Security Bots once more started shooting at their targets, wounding Honda and Pegasus in the process. But that didn't stop them from retaliating with their firearms. "HURRY ATEM!" Honda bellowed. "WE CAN'T STALL THEM ANY LONGER!" So Atem pulled even harder.

Finally the Bolt wielder got the lever to move. "GOT IT!" Immediately, all the Security Bots short-circuited and fell to the ground. Some exploded on impact. Fortunately, they did no further damage to any of his friends.

"Good thinking Yugi!" Jonouchi praised. "You saved us again!"

"Aw, I'm not the only one who pulled your butts out of the fire!" Yugi replied humbly.

"Hey, how do I get down?" Atem shouted.

"J-just jump!" Anzu answered impatiently, "Beta will catch you!" In response, the Hunter bellowed an encouraging whale call and held out his arms.

Atem was a little hesitant at first, but he gathered up his courage. "All right, here goes!" And with that, he made a great leap. Sure enough, the Big Daddy caught his surprised friend safely in his arms. "Uh, thanks Beta." Atem stated with a smile. However, Beta turned his head to the left, the green light in his helmet glowing curiously. "Huh? What is it?" the Bolt wielder asked in confusion. The Hunter simply put him down and waved a hand, bellowing as if to say hello. Soon another whale call echoed in reply.

"Hey! Did you hear that?" Varon gasped in amazement. Likewise, everyone turned to where Beta was greeting, especially Kaiba. Suddenly another voice joined in: the voice of a small boy.

"What is it Bubbles?" Soon a Rosie lumbered out of the shadows, followed by a seven-year-old boy dressed only in tattered shorts and a blood-stained T-shirt.

"A Scavenger!" Kaiba gasped, "Of course he's not Mokuba, but still…"

"Oh! There's a friend calling us?" the Scavenger asked in amazement, pointing to Beta. His Rosie moaned in reply and nodded. Kaiba, Jonouchi, Honda, Shizuka, Mai, Pegasus, and Atem all stared in amazement at what they were seeing.

"Incredible!" Atem gasped, "It's like Beta and that other Hunter are communicating with each other!"

"Like I said, what Hunters lack in intelligence, they make up for with a very big heart." Anzu explained with a smile, "A Hunter that is befriended with the help of my Hunter Friendship plasmid is able to communicate with other Hunters, especially those who are protecting a Scavenger. In this way, those other Hunters react to us in a friendly manner."

"I see!" Jonouchi stated, "So that means we don't have to fight these Hunters in order to get to the Scavengers and rescue them, right?"

"That's right!" Anzu confirmed with a wink.

"And you don't even need to use Hunter Friendship twice to gain another Big Daddy ally. My, my, my! Your plasmid truly is a bottle of miracles, Miss Anzu!" Pegasus complimented.

"Yay! We can make more Hunter friends!" Blossom squealed.

"I sure wish I've known of that plasmid up to Arcadia." Honda mused.

"Let's not waste any more time." Yugi stated, "We'll rescue this Scavenger, then head to the laboratory before anything else happens." The League Leader turned to his doppelganger. "You do the honors Atem." Atem nodded and stepped toward the little Scavenger boy.

"It's all right, Little One." Atem stated kindly, "There's no need to be afraid." With that, he gently picked up the boy and activated his Restoration plasmid. When the light faded, the Scavenger was once again a normal little boy.

"Ah! T-thank you Mister!" the boy cried happily. The Hunter that guarded him moaned likewise in gratitude.

"You're quite welcome." Atem answered, "Now let's take you to a place where you'll be safe, okay?"

* * *

It took them a while, but the team finally managed to reach Langford Laboratory without any further hassles. But that did not mean that they can rest just yet. And they knew it, too. So without hesitation, Honda unlocked the metal door at the entrance. It slid open, revealing that Professor Hawkins was waiting for them on the other side.

"Oh! Thank heavens you've come back in one piece!" Hawkins gasped in relief, "I was starting to get worried about you!"

"Good to see you again Professor." Honda greeted. "A lot of things have happened on the way, so it took us a while."

Hawkins took a glance at Atem and saw the little boy being carried in his arms. "Well I'll be! I see you've managed to rescue yet another Scavenger!" The old professor's gaze soon fell upon a new face in the group. "And who might this young lady be?"

Shizuka gave a shy smile and answered, "My name is Shizuka. I'm Jonouchi's little sister."

It was at that moment Hawkins eyes widened in further astonishment, as if it suddenly dawned on him. "Wait! I remember seeing you before! You're one of the four remaining Reapers, aren't you?"

"She sure was." Jonouchi replied, "She put up a fight due to a misunderstanding, but we managed to rescue her in the end."

"Why, this is brilliant!" Hawkins cheered, "If you can rescue one Reaper with the Restoration plasmid, then perhaps you might be able to rescue them all! Even in the dark depths of the ocean the light of hope burns even brighter!"

"If you think that's good new enough, wait until you see this!" Honda stated proudly, and he held up the bottle containing his creation. "Behold! The Lazarus Vector!"

At the sight of that invention, Hawkins' eyes lit up. He let out a hearty laugh. "Ha, ha, ha, you've done Julie Langford well Honda!" His expression grew a little serious however. "What are you standing here for? If we're to save the forests we have to activate that thing right now! C'mon!" The old professor quickly lead the team inside. There, they noticed that many biologists were busy loading guns. They could even see a couple of Hunters wandering the hall. And as silly as it appeared, one Big Bertha was having a tea party with none other than Rebecca. Almost as if sensing their presence, Hawkin's granddaughter spun around in surprise before she gave a big smile.

"Yugi!" she squealed and in an instant, she ran over to hug the Prince of Kyoki once more. "I knew you'll be back!"

"Oh, uh, hey Rebecca!" greeted an embarrassed Yugi, to which Rebecca released her grip.

"And just in time too!" Rebecca continued, "Everyone is preparing for a fight in the lab! If the monsters manage to find us, we could use your help!" The Hunter playmate let out a friendly dolphin whistle and held out a cup of tea as if to offer it.

"Hmm, I guess it's no surprise." Kaiba mused, "Since the Lazarus Vector has been made, there's a big chance that Mutou might send his splicers here."

"Then we'll have to take some extra precautions." Honda replied. "We'll put the lab on total lockdown until Arcadia is revived."

"But what if they get through?" Shizuka asked.

"Then we'll fight them to the last man." Jonouchi reassured, "Don't worry. We'll make sure the splicers never lay their filthy hands on that Vector."

"Then let's hurry over to Julie's office at once." Raphael noted, "The sooner we resurrect the trees, the better." The team continued on their way to the office as quickly as they could. Although the office brought back sad memories of Julie Langford's demise, Honda boldly stepped in front of the tube-like device in front of the window with a view.

"Since you equipped that Clever Inventor gene tonic," Amelda asked, "Would you mind telling us what this is for?"

"Sure thing." Honda replied, "It's the conduit that is built to spread the Lazarus Vector all over Arcadia, where it will take the form of a mist that will not only eliminate the poison cloud, but also restore the plant life to full health."

"Then let's get to it Mate!" Varon encouraged, "Time's a wasting!"

"All right! Hold on!" Honda barked. Carefully, he took the bottle of his precious invention and stuck it into the nozzle on the left-hand side. "Here goes." With that, he pushed the button to activate the conduit. The sounds of the machine filled the office like an old washing machine. The Vector began to emerge into the first chamber… but very slowly. "Damn! If there's one thing I don't know, it's how long this thing is going to fill before it's ready!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the intercom, a voice they know all too well. "It seems that you didn't get what I was trying to tell you with Julie's death." Mutou stated bluntly, "Maybe this will make you get my point."

All at once, the alarms in the laboratory sounded. "EEK!" Blossom screamed in terror "SPLICERS!"

In the main lab the scientists went to work locking every metal door. "RED ALERT! RED ALERT!" they screamed, "DON'T LET THEM THROUGH!"

"Atem! Yugi!" Honda shouted, "You and the others go on out and pull the main switch. It will lock the main lab and Aunt Julie's office."

"But won't it lock you in too?" Anzu asked.

"Yeah, but someone has to keep an eye on the conduit until it's ready, and apparently that someone is me." Honda replied, "I'm sorry I won't be able to join you this time, but I have to sit this one out."

"In that case, keep in tabs about the conduit's progress." Atem stated, "I would like to see the Vector do its work."

"Okay. And while we're at it, have the kids and Shizuka stay with me. As soon as that lockdown is activated, this will be the one place where they'll be safe."

"But I want to help you fight!" Shizuka protested.

"We know," Jonouchi stated, "But we can't let you join us in the battlefield. After all, you're not a Reaper anymore and that means you're more vulnerable to attack."

Shizuka grew sad at those words, so Mai put a hand on the ex-Reaper's shoulder. "It'll be fine. We'll take care of those creeps. You keep the kids occupied."

After a few moments of silence, the Ex-Reaper finally nodded. "Okay. Just be careful… all of you."

With that, Atem put the little boy down as the others faced him. "All right! Let's move!" he stated. And Honda watched with Shizuka and the children as the rest of their companions sped back to the main lab. Once there, the Bolt wielder and his doppelganger rushed ahead. "Jonouchi! This is the time for you, Kaiba and Mai to take advantage of the Vita Chamber! You'll need to be in full health for a possible splicer gauntlet! Yugi and I will activate the lockdown!"

The sandy blonde stopped, but there was an expression of gratitude. "Thanks Pal!" he stated. So Atem and Yugi went quickly to the entrance while the rest stayed behind. At the same time, though, a glowing outline of heat began to trace one of the metal doors, sparks flying.

"Oh no! The splicers are starting to breach the barriers!" Hawkins exclaimed, as he once again started fumbling with his shotgun. "Hurry up with the lockdown!"

Thankfully the two of them didn't have to be told twice. In record speed, they managed to reach the office at the entrance of the lab. And there, right by the desk was the switch they have been looking for. Yugi wasted no time grabbing it and he pulled hard. After a few seconds the switch was activated. Almost instantly, the metal doors sealed shut at the entrance, and also Julie's office, locking Honda, Shizuka and the former Scavengers safely inside. The Telekinesis wielder took out his Video Phone and entered the code to Atem's. "Thanks guys!" he stated once he came onscreen, "But don't let your guard down just yet. By the looks of things, those splicers are still going to destroy our weaker barriers."

"And that means a battle is truly inevitable." Atem replied.

"That's right." Honda confirmed, "So get ready."

At the same time, Jonouchi stepped out of the Vita Chamber, fully healed. "Woo! I feel like I can take down anybody!" he shouted confidently.

"That's great!" Mai replied before she stepped into the chamber. "My turn!" By the time the Vita Chamber began working its healing magic on the violet-eyed shutterbug, Atem and Yugi were back in the lab. Kaiba, who was leaning against the wall close by, gave the Bolt wielder a confident smirk.

"Are you ready for this Kaiba?" Atem asked.

"Ready? 'Ready' is an understatement!" Kaiba answered, allowing the machines on his forearms to morph into his blade gauntlets. "I wasn't called the Splicer Killer for nothing!"

Pegasus loaded his machine gun, eyeing the growing red heat that continued to trace its way around another metal door. Blossom shook in fear upon his shoulder. "Don't let them get me Master!" the robot doll whimpered, "They're scary!"

"No worries Dear Blossom." Pegasus reassured, "I'll protect you." Soon Mai stepped out of the Vita Chamber, fully refreshed.

"All right Kaiba, you're next." She stated to the Splicer Killer.

"Thanks." Kaiba replied bluntly and went inside.

"Whew! I'm glad you kept those splicers at bay." Hawkins mused as he loaded his shotgun, "I'm fully prepared this time!"

Jonouchi and Atem stared at the old professor in shock. "Wha—are you sure you want to do this?" Jonouchi asked. "You don't have to fight!"

Hawkins simply smiled. "I know. But I can't just stand around and do nothing while my colleagues are risking life and limb to protect the lab." The angry voices of the splicers grew much louder as the scientists and some of the Mermaid Agents took their positions.

"I'll be adding a little firepower to my ammo." Raphael stated, taking out some unusual bullets. As his friends could see, they crackled with lightning.

"So you're finally going to use those electric rounds Raiden provided us, huh?" Amelda noted.

"Yep." Raphael replied, "It's kind of ironic, that one of our enemies would give us the weaponry that will help us save what's left of the city."

Varon turned toward the violet-eyed shutterbug. "Mai," he stated, "You might want to get your digital research camera ready. You never know when some more powerful splicer types might show up."

"I'm way ahead of you." Mai answered with a wink, lifting up her camera as well as her hand-crossbow. The sparks were flying from the metal doors as the glowing heat nearly traced the entire frame, but everyone got into position. The scientists and biologists raised their guns.

"Ready?" Atem shouted.

Right at that moment, a metal door burst open, and a stream of thug splicers rushed in. The battle has begun.

"FIRE!" Hawkins exclaimed, and the whole lab reverberated with the sound of gunfire, both from the turrets and from the army of scientists. Each splicer that came near dropped like flies, shot down before they even realized their disadvantage.

"Keep at it everyone!" Pegasus shouted above the noise of his machine gun. Mai just smirked in satisfaction as one of her crossbow bolts struck a splicer between the eyes.

"RAPHAEL!" Anzu exclaimed, "WATCH OUT!"

The muscular soldier turned out to have great reflexes, for he spun around and blasted a female splicer that was trying to sneak up from behind him. Of course, since she was so close to him her blood and gore splattered all over him, crackling a little with electricity. "Ugh! Those splicer guts really leave a bad taste in my mouth." Raphael grunted in disgust, before he resumed shooting.

Varon laughed as he fried an incoming thug splicer to a crisp with his flame-thrower. "Close but no Nagi, bitches!" he taunted. By now, the thug mob had greatly diminished.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Amelda bellowed and threw a grenade into the midst of the enemy. A great explosion followed, killing the rest of thug splicers.

"AIEEE! MASTER!" Blossom shrieked in fear, "THERE'S MORE SPLICERS COMING!" As if to confirm her words, angry voices echoed down the hall.

It was then Atem looked at his Video Phone. "Honda, what's the status on the Vector?"

"The first chamber of the conduit has been filled!" Honda answered, "…Damn it! Why can't this thing go any faster?"

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. In an instant a scientist screamed in agony as blood exploded from his chest. He fell dead immediately. Almost instantly, another loud bang resounded, killing a female biologist in the same way. "DIE TRAITORS!" a voice roared, and soon a splicer dressed in a business suit rushed in. In his hands were a pair of oversized shotguns. With a scream of anger, the splicer started shooting again. Some of the crew managed to dodge the attack, but soon more splicers came. Each one wielded oversized shotguns just like the first. They opened fire. Several more scientists and biologists fell in the onslaught, and nearly every turret was destroyed.

"PULL BACK!" Hawkins shouted as he tried to return fire, "PULL BACK!"

"YIEEE!" Jonouchi screamed as he dodged another wave of bullets. "Are those bullet splicers? They seem more powerful than before!"

Mai's camera flashed and she looked on its screen to see the results. "Looks like we got bullet splicers of a higher level!"

_**Bazooka Splicer**_

_**This is a more powerful rank of the bullet splicer family. Bazooka splicers are so named due to the power of their firearms, with shotguns the most common weapon of choice. They are stronger and more agile than their common brethren, but they have the same vulnerabilities. Be warned: even if you disarm this enemy, they can chuck their ammunition into their mouths and spit them out with the power of an actual shotgun.**_

"Geez! This splicer means business!" Jonouchi gasped. Of course, he and Mai uttered a surprised shout as the barely dodged another of the bazooka splicer's firepower.

"TAKE THIS!" Mai roared in anger, once again shooting her hand crossbow and striking one of the targets head on.

Beta and his fellow Rosies opened fire on the enemy, disarming some of them in the process. But no sooner than this was done that one of those disarmed splicers gathered up a large handful of his ammunition—and stuffed it right into his mouth! The other unarmed bazooka splicers began to do the same.

"AW SHIT!" Varon exclaimed in shock. "THEY'RE GONNA BLOW! AND I MEAN, LITERALLY!" On cue, the splicer spat out bullets with such full force, that several more of the team's comrades fell in the onslaught including a couple of Hunters. Some died instantly, while others sustained great injury. One bullet struck Hawkins on the left thigh, and he screamed in agony as he slumped to the ground.

"Professor!" Anzu gasped in horror.

The old professor coughed, and Yugi sped over to his side. "Are you all right?"

Hawkins' eyes were squeezed shut in pain, but he managed to get one eye open. "I'll be fine. You just concentrate on taking down the enemy!" As soon as he finished speaking, he let out an agonized grunt.

"Hang in there, Grandpa!" Rebecca shouted through Atem's Video Phone.

Kaiba growled and glared at the hated splicers. "It's time to get close to the action!" Kaiba finally shouted, and darted out toward the mob.

"Yeah! It's melee time!" Jonouchi barked, raising his sword and jumped into the fray.

The League Leader stood up and took a step forward. "Then allow to aid you with some reinforcements! MULTIPLE CLONE!" In a flash of activating his Overdrive Ability, his six illusional clones materialized and unleashed a barrage of bladed cards. Some of the bazooka splicer mob had cards imbedded all over their hideous bodies, and many fell dead. Soon after, Yugi and his clones leaped into a physical follow-up attack, each striking down several opponents in rapid succession with powerful jabs in the face and roundhouse kicks that swept them off their feet.

Jonouchi was slicing another group of bazooka splicers with his flaming sword, even going as far as to decapitate at least three of them. Suddenly, Two male splicers and one female jumped right in front of the sandy blonde, trying to surround him. They thrust their shotguns towards him and took aim. "Okay," Jonouchi stated bluntly, "Clearly, you don't know who you guys are messing with. If I were you, I'd drop those guns and get the hell out of here. Besides, you're not the only one that has firepower at your side." The only reply he got from the splicers were the sounds of the guns being loaded with ammo. "All right, I tried to warn ya!" Instantly, he threw a large fireball, blasting all three splicers to a crisp at once.

"HELP!" screamed one of the frightened scientists, being pursued by another group of bazooka splicers. "SOMEONE HELP ME!" One of the monsters lifted her shotguns and was about to shoot, when suddenly a red glob slammed right on her body. She screamed in fury—and began to fire at her own team. A few other red globs struck some more targets, and soon there was 'friendly fire' among the enemy. The scientist looked up to find a smirking Pegasus tossing one of the globs of his Rage plasmid up and down.

"No need to thank me," He replied, "Just thought you could use a hand."

Meanwhile, Kaiba was leaping from splicer to splicer, leaving behind sliced throats and severed limbs. Those who watched him might say that he was dancing the graceful but deadly ballet of a homicidal madman. Atem was no less graceful in his attacks, spinning his quarterstaff with great speed and coordination. The electricity of the Bolt plasmid gave his weapon an extra oomph, making it even more powerful with every blow. And as always, the quarterstaff was an excellent aid to his karate moves. He slammed the staff so it stood vertically and jumped up upon it, allowing him to strike a circle of splicers with a spinning kick. Then he slammed the weapon to the ground, releasing a huge storm of lightning bolts that killed the remainders of the mob. Suddenly, the last of the bazooka splicers tried to strike when his back was turned. "ATEM! BEHIND YOU!" Kaiba roared, and sent the ice blades of his Blizzard plasmid flying. Once the enemies were frozen on the spot, the Splicer Killer finished them off with a slice that shattered their icy bodies.

"Thanks Kaiba." Atem stated. Then he once more turned his attention to his Video Phone. "Honda, how is it now?"

"The second chamber of the conduit has been filled!" Honda confirmed. "We only got one chamber left, so we're almost there! Just hang in there for a little while longer!"

Once again, Blossom screamed in terror, practically hiding in her master's jacket. "Oh no!" Pegasus exclaimed, "Blossom just detected another wave of splicers!" Suddenly, another metal door came crashing down. A gang of thug splicers came through, but there were at least ten of them looked different from the others; they were more bulky, their muscles bulging out of proportion as if overloaded with steroids. Mai took notice of this immediately.

"Heads up!" she shouted, raising her camera, "We got some more new ones!"

Just then, one of the new splicers punched the ground near Atem's feet—and the resulting shockwave was enough to send him, Kaiba and Jonouchi flying! Furthermore, five of Yugi's six illusional clones were wiped out in the process!

"Jonouchi!" Shizuka screamed in horror from Atem's Video Phone, watching a blurry view of her brother crashing into a wall alongside the Splicer Killer. Atem himself slammed into a table holding empty flasks and beakers, not only decimating the weak furniture but also shattering the glass containers. Another one of the beefed up splicers raised a large knife at an unprotected biologist nearby the Bolt wielder, slicing the poor sap's head off in a single stroke. A third of the new monsters leaped up toward Kaiba and Jonouchi, axe in hand, ready to chop his targets to pieces. Fortunately the attack missed, for the Splicer Killer and the sandy blonde both scrambled to their feet and darted away in opposite directions.

Atem stood up, wincing as he pulled a single shard of glass away from his left bicep. "Atem!" Yugi exclaimed in concern.

"What are those things?" asked Atem with a glare at this new enemy.

"I figured you would ask that!" Mai shouted in reply, "What we have here is a mid-rank splicer of the thug variety: a bully splicer!"

"Bully splicer?" Yugi repeated in confusion.

"Yeah," Mai answered, "Have a look!" With that, she held out her camera, putting the vital information on display.

_**Bully Splicer**_

_**This powerful splicer evolved from the common thug splicer. Their strength is twice as great as their weaker counterparts, yet they retain a portion of their agility. Thanks to their increasing girth, the bully splicer is able to start resisting many of the attacks that would easily kill a common thug splicer.**_

"That's not good!" Anzu muttered. Beta bellowed an angry whale call and lunged toward one of the bully splicers. However, the enemy was able to punch the Big Daddy on the helmet and knock him to the ground. "NO! BETA!" Right at this moment a particularly hideous bully splicer lifted one of the disabled turrets like a club, ready to bash the diplomatic protector.

"ANZU! WATCH OUT!" Yugi exclaimed, and ran right in front of her. The splicer stopped instantly in mid-swing, a look of horror upon his twisted face.

"M-Mutou's son…!" the splicer gasped, before a large fist grabbed hold of his head and tossed him to the other side of the lab.

"Glad I can help Beta!" replied the Prince of Kyoki. Said Rosie whale-called and gave a victory sign. The thug splicer mob quickly came to the aid of their superiors, trying to outnumber their intended victims.

"If we are to stand a chance against this wave, we have to take it up a notch!" Atem shouted.

"You're right Atem Boy!" Pegasus replied, and summoned forth a red glob. "Ladies and Gents, it's time for an Overdrive!" Blossom screamed in horror, knowing too well her master's intentions. He squeezed the glob and popped it to activate his Frenzy. With a maddened scream he waded into the mob, tearing the weaker opponents limb from limb and soaking the lab with blood. Of course, this infuriated the more powerful bully splicers.

"Now it's my turn!" Kaiba bellowed, lifting a hand high above him. The ice spikes that jutted out of his body fired out, but instead of flying toward a target like usual, it floated in midar and melted into icy orbs. All the orbs then gathered toward his hand, forming an even larger orb about twice the size of a basketball. "Say hello to my new Overdrive Ability: ICE GLOBE AVALANCHE!" With that, he tossed the globe toward two bully splicers, which shattered into deadly ice blades on impact! Within seconds before they could get a chance to react, the enemies were impaled and frozen.

"I'm up!" Jonouchi announced, "RAIN OF FIRE!" He swung his sword downward as if to taunt a female bully splicer and her groupies, and the shower of fireballs instantly obliterated that gang of monsters.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, PARASITE!" roared another incoming bully splicer in fury. The sandy blonde yelped in surprised shock as the enemy raised his lead pipe, intending to smash his victim.

"GET BACK!" Yugi shouted and his sixth illusional clone rushed forward. Realizing what his friend was planning, Jonouchi jumped backward just as the splicer swung his weapon. The target dummy immediately stood firm in its ally's place, taking the blow. The monster stared in horror as the clone vanished in a cloud of dust.

"No… NO!" The splicer screamed, "I JUST KILLED MUTOU'S SON!"

"PLASMA BOLT!" Atem bellowed, unleashing the power of his Overdrive Ability in spite of the pain. It was too late for his opponent to react; the electricity was too much for the beast to handle.

"That was close!" Jonouchi sighed, "Only five bullies to go."

"I'll take care of those creeps!" Mai exclaimed, crossing her arms. "PLASMA HURRICANE!" The torrential cyclone that resulted hurled the remaining thug splicers in the air, bashing them all to death. But the remaining bully splicers were a different matter. Though they were thrown about like their weaker underlings, they were able to escape the tornado and return to solid ground with barely a scratch! Mai gasped in shock.

"NO WAY!" Varon shouted.

"Seems like their girth has made them more stronger than we realize!" Amelda replied.

"Great… why am I not surprised?" Raphael muttered. At that moment, the bully splicer initiated their attack once again. Once more, the enemy unleashed a shockwave knocking their opponents off their feet.

"Aw man!" Jonouchi stated, rising to a sitting position, "Honda would have easily taken down those creep with his Titan Mind Grip! Too bad he's busy watching the Lazarus Vector."

Anzu suddenly turned toward her allies and smirked. "Well, then it's a good thing I'm with you guys!" In moments she re-equipped her Hunter Friendship plasmid and summoned the green glob. "I just so happen to have one more trick up my sleeve!" She squeezed the glob hard in her hand until it popped, splattering its slimy contents. As with the Rage plasmid, smaller globs of goo began to burst out of her skin, covering the parts of her body that the larger globs did not.

"MASTER!" Blossom shrieked, gaining Pegasus' attention, "She's got an Overdrive Ability!"

Now everyone was interested, even Hawkins, and soon all eyes were on the diplomatic protector. "Overdrive Ability?" Kaiba queried. As if to clear the confusion, Yugi spoke. For he knew exactly what Overdrive Ability came with the Hunter Friendship plasmid.

"The Hunter War Cry!"

Anzu took in a deep breath and with all her might she let out an ear-piercing shriek—a shriek similar to that made by a Scavenger. All the globs shot out at once like porcupine quills, splattering over Beta. The blue lights in his helmet shined even brighter than before, and even the slime on his armored body began to glow. The Big Daddy clenched his fists and bellowed out a loud whale call as though he were a bouncer instead of a Rosie. The helmets of the other Hunters flashed with the same intense azure light and their whale calls joined in with Beta's.

"What's going on?" Atem asked.

"If a Plasmund who has Hunter Friendship manages to befriend a Hunter, the Overdrive Ability known as Hunter War Cry augments the strength and power of the Big Daddy or Big Bertha in question." Raphael explained, "These guardians can also summon other Hunters in the surrounding area and augment their power as well. That's what Tenenbaum told us when she made that plasmid." Immediately Beta and his fellow Hunters fearlessly rushed forward, their eyes fixed on their adversaries. It was Beta, in fact, who struck the first blow: He punched the largest bully splicer with a deadly uppercut. Everyone watched as the battle continued, amazed by the action brought about by this Hunter War Cry. The Bouncers were twice as powerful as before, and even the Rosies were acting like their Bouncer companions with power to back it up! One Bouncer, an Big Bertha, snatched a female bully splicer by the leg and swung her about, smacking her back and forth, then spinning her like a lasso before tossing her into a set of drawers. The Rosie that played with Rebecca ripped the arms off another bully splicer as the latter was about to punch her, then knocked him down to the floor and crushed his head under her boot. The remaining two enemies put up a good fight, punching and kicking at the Hunters as hard as they could. The succeeded at knocking one of the armored guardians down, with the splicer kicking him in the crotch then ripping off his pack once he was down. But in the end, it was not enough to overcome the Hunter army. A Big Daddy Bouncer slammed his drill arm against the two enemies and skewered them. One died instantly, but the other staggered on his feet, clutching the gaping wound in his stomach.

As the Bouncer prepared his final attack, a terrifying image suddenly appeared in Kaiba's head: A nine-year-old boy, his biceps and waist wrapped with thermal bandages, his face covered with spattered blood. He wore on his right hand a gauntlet much like the Splicer Killer's, the machine having morphed into a drill, soaked with blood and gore. The boy was screaming as if in rage, though there were tears in his eyes.

And what scared Kaiba most was that the boy looked just like Atem.

But just as quickly as it came, the image vanished from his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he could not recall any detail of it. Yet as the Bouncer impaled his drill into the splicer's face and obliterated it, Kaiba felt a familiar sense of dread. He shook his head, trying to compose himself.

"Okay!" Honda suddenly announced from Atem's Video Phone, "The conduit is full! Deactivate the lockdown and come on up here if you wanna see some magic happen!"

"Got it!" Atem replied, ending the call and rushing to the lab entrance to undo the lockdown.

"Yeah! Finally!" Jonouchi shouted triumphantly.

"I know how you feel Mate!" Varon stated in relief, "I thought that thing was never gonna fill up!"

"Me too!" Mai added, "But luckily for us, we kicked ass just in time!" Indeed, all the splicers have been defeated, and no more waves seemed to show up. Pegasus' Frenzy abated, and he and Anzu unequipped their respective plasmids. Atem pulled the switch and the metal doors unlocked.

"You heard Honda!" he shouted with a grin as he ran past the others, "We don't want to miss the show!"

"All right! Time to revive the forest!" Yugi shouted in elation, and soon the others followed them. Pegasus lifted up the injured Hawkins and slung an arm on his shoulder.

"Thank you Pegasus." The old professor stated with a small smile. Indeed, after the battle they went through, everyone was in high spirits as they ran over to Julie's office. Shizuka was at the door waiting for them.

"Hurry guys!" she gasped with anticipated happiness. Rebecca, on the other hand, simply ran over to hug her grandfather, thankful that he was safe. Once the team was all present, they stood in view of a fully blue-green conduit.

"All right everyone!" Honda stated confidently, "On the count of three!" He grabbed hold of the switch. "One… two… THREE!" He pulled it fast and hard, and instantly the mist of the Lazarus Vector sprayed out in every corner, every nook and cranny of Arcadia. It was a beautiful sight. The mist was like gentle rain showers, and it spread all over every forest eating away the sickly green toxic clouds. And then the moment arrived. Like magic, healthy green leaves blossomed upon every tree, and flowers bloomed in radiant colors. In mere seconds, Arcadia was once again bursting with life. The whole team cheered in triumph, with the notable exception of Kaiba, who simply smirked in satisfaction.

"WE DID IT!" Yugi exclaimed happily, giving a high five to the Bolt wielder.

"YEAH! WE SAVED ARCADIA!" Jonouchi shouted, jumping for joy.

"Take a deep breath everyone!" Honda stated, "Our work here is done!" The Telekinesis wielder couldn't help but shed tears at the sight of his creation at work. _Aunt Julie… I know you're here by my side, seeing the fruits of your labor. Thank you for letting me take part in this dream._

"Excellent work everyone!" Hawkins praised. Soon Atem's Video Phone signaled its call again, and Raiden appeared onscreen.

"Hey guys, it's me." He stated. "I take it you've succeeded!"

"We sure have Raiden!" Atem stated, "Arcadia is back!"

"Awesome! Take a little hard-earned rest for a minute, then head over to the Rolling Hills and get that bathysphere! Next stop is Mutou's place… It's time for blood."

"Right." Atem answered, "Oh! By the way… you don't happen to know about the Ace in the Hole, do you?"

"The Ace in the Hole?" Raiden repeated, "Hmmm… I don't really know much about it myself, but I do know that it is one of the few things that Mutou is afraid of. Let me see what I can find out." And with that, he ended his call. Atem paused for a moment. _Whatever the case,_ he thought, _we must get to Fort Frolic as soon as we can. If the tips to the Mermaid League are indeed correct, then this is where the weapon of legend is waiting for us._

* * *

"These brave men and women gave their lives to save the great forests of this city, and therefore save us all. May they all rest in peace."

Minutes after Arcadia's revival, the team healed their battle wounds, then took part in a makeshift funeral to pay their final respects for those who died in the battle. The corpses of the dead were respectfully covered in white body wraps and laid in a neat row in the water. And the corpse of Julie Langford was among the dead. Honda gently laid a flower upon the body: it was the very same rose that lead to the creation of their Lazarus Vector. "Goodbye Aunt Julie." He said.

When it was over, Yugi turned toward his friends. "Okay everyone, let's go to that bathysphere." The others nodded in agreement.

"Let's go Shizuka." Jonouchi stated to his sister, "You'll be safer in one of the Safehouses."

"Mmm... Okay." Shizuka replied a little hesitantly.

They were just beginning to make their departure when Honda suddenly spoke up. "I'm coming with you. Not just to help you out. When it's all over, I'm going to the surface with you."

This surprised everyone. But most of all, Atem and Jonouchi. "You serious Honda?" Atem asked.

"Very." Answered Honda.

"But I thought you wanted to stay in Kyoki." Jonouchi stated.

The Telekinesis wielder faced the glass window overlooking the ocean view. "It's true… there are some aspects of this city that I love more than anything. But without Aunt Julie, I have no reason to stay here."

There was a moment of silence between the three friends. Then Atem smiled. "All right then. I'm glad you're staying with us."

Jonouchi also grinned, "Me too! You're gonna love the surface, Honda! I guarantee it!" With that, Honda turned around and smiled.

"But who's going to take care of the Langford Laboratory?" Amelda asked.

"I believe I have the experience to do the job." Hawkins suggested. "The scientists and biologists here are like a family to me aside from Rebecca. Not only that, Julie was one of my dearest friends. Let me stay here and care for this facility. In the meantime you can contact me whenever you have a question."

"Thank you Professor." Atem stated. "I wish you the best of luck."

Rebecca stepped forward. "I hope to see you again soon Yugi."

"Uh, s-sure. W-we will." Yugi replied hesitantly.

"Okay, we've done our farewells now," Kaiba bluntly stated, "Let's get out of here before Mutou pulls some more tricks!" And so the team of heroes departed. Anzu looked back and waved at Beta, knowing too well that she could not take him with her.

"Bye Beta!" she called out, "Thanks for the help!" Likewise, Beta waved to his friend and let out a whale call as if to say "Bye, bye." There was a small hint of sadness in the green light of his helmet. No doubt he was going to miss her.

* * *

The metal doors in Rolling Hills slid open, and just across the hallway beyond was the bathysphere, floating patiently on the water. Its door was wide open as if to welcome the heroes. "Now here's a nice little bonus for saving the trees." Jonouchi commented.

"Yeah mate," Varon agreed, "and there's plenty of room for everyone. Let's go on board, shall we?" The others agreed and made their approach. They were just halfway down the hall when suddenly Atem's Video Phone once again emitted a calling signal.

And once again, the face of Ryu Mutou was staring right at them.

"Yugi," he stated sternly to his son, "I know you've heard me say this before, but I wouldn't be saying it if it weren't true: I am very proud of you. Nevertheless, you will learn that there are consequences to your actions."

"Apparently, you've forgotten that there are consequences to your actions too." Yugi retorted calmly, "After all, Father, you're the one who taught me the paradox of free will: we all make choices, and in return our choices make us."

"That's enough!" Mutou barked, "As soon as your parasite companions are done away with, you'll be heading straight to my office to receive some punishment!"

"Oh, we'll be heading to your office all right!" Yugi replied with a smirk, "But it's you who will be punished! You just wait!"

* * *

"We'll discuss this matter later!" Mutou barked on his Video Phone, receiving a glare from Yugi. In all honesty, he was hurt by his son's hatred toward him. But this is a time of crisis; he must not show his pain, not to him! It was then that he turned his attention to the young man who looked like Yugi. "As for you, Boy," he stated, "You and your friends have a lot of guts if you're able to survive this far. So for now I'll let you go. But mark my words! The next time we cross paths, I will see to it that your winning streak will finally be broken!"

"We'll see about that." Atem replied. With that, Mutou pressed the button to end his call. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a sigh. The image of the boy who looked like Yugi lingered in his mind.

"Boy," he muttered, "Why do you continue to resist the traditional methods of separating a man from his soul? The answer is obvious for your companions, but for you… You're different! You don't even work for DIH or CIA, and still…!" His eyes widened in sudden realization, as though hit by a ton of bricks. For three days now, he had been listening in on the boy's conversation with a certain man… a man who just so happened to be his latest archenemy. "Of course!" he gasped, "Why didn't I think of this sooner? For some reason… that boy who looks like my son—he belongs to Raiden, the one roach I can't seem to exterminate!" Once more he let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll deal with that roach later, though; I have plenty of time to find the proper poison. Right now, I need to figure out how to destroy that boy." _But,_ he suddenly thought, _do I really want to?_ Once more he felt the stirrings in his heart, and he clutched his forehead. _I don't understand! He's an enemy that must be exterminated! And yet, somehow… I love him!_ Just the thought of it suddenly made him shudder. _What is happening to me?_

* * *

"This bathysphere will be programmed to take us to a tunnel leading to the Benzaiten Safehouse." Pegasus explained as the team made their entrance into the vehicle in question. "That way, we could be able to take a break from all this action in the main city. And while we prepare for the battle to come, we can actually have some fun. After all, it's been the artist's haven since the fall of Fort Frolic."

"I guess since that place is on its way to Fort Frolic, I'll stay over with you this time." Kaiba replied, "I'm going to need all the energy I can muster in order to find Mokuba and rescue him." After that, he joined in with the others.

"All right," Yugi stated, stepping toward the switch. "Next stop, the Benzaiten Safehouse." He then inserted the destination on the computer.

"All right." Jonouchi replied, "Let see if this works this time!" and with that, he pulled the lever as hard as he could. But just as before, the switch didn't budge one bit! The words, '_**Access Denied**_' appeared on the computer screen.

"How about you let me pull it!" Honda suggested, and he tried his luck in pulling the switch. Again, the lever refused to move and the computer flashed 'Access Denied.' "Great! We're stuck! The bathysphere is refusing to function!"

"Well, this is where I come in handy!" Yugi replied, and he put his grip on the lever.

"I don't know if that will work." Mai muttered.

"Just trust me." Yugi stated. And then he began to pull. The switch started to move, inch by inch. Then in an instant, it quickly slid all the way down. The bathysphere swung securely shut and sank down into the water.

As the bathysphere traveled it way through the sea, passing by the buildings of Kyoki, there were expressions of surprise among those who were not Mermaid Agents—especially from Atem.

"No way!" Jonouchi gasped.

"Yugi! You got the bathysphere to work!" Honda stated, "How did you do that?"

Yugi turned away from the window and gazed seriously at them. "Didn't you hear? Just recently, as part of his security regime, my father put all the main bathyspheres on lockdown."

"Lockdown?" Honda gasped in shock.

"Every one of them?" Jonouchi shouted.

"So that's why the bathyspheres aren't letting us use it!" Mai stated.

"But that still doesn't explain how you were able bypass this obstacle." Pegasus replied.

"It's actually quite simple." Yugi explained, "My father had this device installed that can read the DNA of anyone who touches the switch, and depending on this information, it can either grant access to the main bathysphere or deny it. Plasmids and gene tonics may rewrite an individual's genetic code, but the individual's unique DNA foundation remains unchanged. That's why certain machines like this can identify certain individuals with 100 percent accuracy, no matter how much of their genes are modified."

"Sounds fascinating," Atem stated.

"Then wait until you hear this." Yugi replied, "My father had this device made so that only the members of the Kyoki Council can activate the switch and use the bathysphere without hassle."

Atem's eyes widened in a horrified shock when he heard this.

"W-wait!" Jonouchi stuttered, "So does that mean you're a member of the Kyoki Council?"

"In a sense, yes." Yugi admitted, "And fortunately for me, the genetic keys have never been updated since they first got installed. Oh, and between you and me, the genetic keys are rather… unreliable."

Atem slowly sat down in the corner as Jonouchi, Honda, Mai and Pegasus all turned their eyes on him. But he was no longer paying attention to them as the information began to sink in. _Only members of the Kyoki Council can activate the bathysphere…_ Atem thought, _But __I'm__ not a member of the council at all! Plus, I've never been to this city before in all my life! How come __I'm__ able to activate the main bathyspheres as well? Are the keys really as unreliable as Yugi says they are? Or is there something more going on?_ He started shaking as the thoughts entered his mind. He was truly scared now.

Note: The Arcadia adventure is finally over! But the secrets just keep coming! In the next chapter, our heroes meet up with familiar faces and make new friends, all while experiencing the artistic culture of the Benzaiten Safehouse. Even more secrets will be revealed, and one such secret actually involves Atem! Until Next Time!


	31. Chapter 31

****Note: Whew! I finally got this chapter up and running! And this is the longest chapter yet! Sorry it took so long. While I was thinking on the plot, I just got started on yet another new fanfiction which I haven't put up yet. I've already finished at least five chapters in that fic so far! Anyway, I can't keep you waiting, for now our heroes have made it to the Benzaiten Safehouse! New friends will be made, but what secrets will be revealed this time? It's for you to find out, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the songs, "Monster" and "Indestructible", and I'm glad I don't! They belong to their respective owners and done as covers in this chapter.

**Chapter 31: The Benzaiten Safehouse**

Even in the dark of night, the lights of the glass tunnel shone brightly like a beacon. The bathysphere burst out of the water, bobbing up and down before it finally stood still. After a few moments, the metal door of the sphere swung open. Pegasus was the first to step out. "Here we are, Ladies and Gents! The entrance to the Benzaiten Safehouse, the sanctuary of the arts!"

Blossom sat up and stretched, 'waking' from sleep mode on her master's shoulder. "Benzaiten…" she mumbled sleepily. After emitting a cute little yawn, the little robot doll jumped up, full of excitement. "My favorite Safehouse! Wheee! We're gonna have fun today!"

"Yes Blossom." Pegasus agreed, cradling the doll in his hands, "And tomorrow you'll be getting a brand-spanking new upgrade!"

"YAY!" Blossom cheered. Soon the rest of the team began to emerge.

"So how long are you guys going to stay here?" Shizuka asked.

"We'll be staying until tomorrow night." Mai replied, "At least, that's what Yugi told me."

"That's right." Yugi stated, "When it gets to be nighttime, we'll head over to Fort Frolic to find the Ace in the Hole. And once we have it in our possession, we head straight to Hephaestus to confront my father."

"Whew!" Varon stated, stretching his arms, "I'm glad I can get a nice long break after this wild adventure!"

"That makes three of us, Varon." Raphael replied, "After all we've gone through today, I'm looking forward to a little diversion."

"I heard from a fellow Mermaid Agent that the annual masquerade rave is taking place all day tomorrow." Amelda noted. "I'd like to take part on that one. I wonder what theme they'll be doing this time?"

Soon everyone in the whole team had stepped out of the bathysphere. Everyone, that is, except… "Hey, where's Atem?" asked Anzu.

Jonouchi looked from behind him. "I think he's still in there." He answered, "Let me go get him." Sure enough, the Bolt wielder was still inside, sitting near the switch. The expression upon his face was a mix of fear and contemplation. "C'mon out Atem!" Jonouchi called out. "We're here!" But his childhood friend didn't answer. Growing concerned, the sandy blonde came back inside and knelt down. "Hey, what's up man?"

"Jonouchi…" Atem muttered, his voice visibly shaking with fear. "I'm not so sure about myself anymore. Ever since we came to this city, strange things have been happening to me. First the sudden knowledge of martial arts, then the fact that I can activate the switch in the main bathysphere, even though I'm not a member of the Kyoki Council!"

"I know exactly what you're talking about Atem," Jonouchi tried to reassure, "It kinda freaks me out too. That, and the fact that you know certain locations like the back of your hand. But I'm sure it's just a coincidence."

"But what if it isn't?" Atem asked. The sandy blonde gave no reply, and the Bolt wielder sighed. "Listen Jonouchi, I've never told you this before, but… lately I keep having visions. Some are memories of my childhood on the surface, and you know that part. But other times there are visions that appear in my mind and vanish just as quickly from my memory. No matter how hard I try, I can't recall a single thing. But it leaves me with this strange feeling that I can't shake off; I keep swearing to myself that I've never been to Kyoki before, and yet there are certain places and certain people that seem… so familiar to me! For what reason, I don't know! And that makes me wonder… what if…?"

Jonouchi stood up and smiled. "Well, don't worry about it. I'm sure there's an explanation for why this is happening, but it can wait. For now, we're just gonna have some fun in the Benzaiten Safehouse." He held out a helping hand. "So are you coming?"

Atem stared in amazement at the sandy blonde, but soon his lips curled into a relieved smile. "Yes, I'm coming. Thank you." And he took hold of his friend's hand and stood up, following him out of the bathysphere.

"Well, it seems like everyone is counted for." Pegasus mused, "Let's head on in, shall we?"

"All right!" Honda exclaimed in excitement. "Benzaiten, here we come!" The Telekinesis wielder ran ahead just as the door to said Safehouse started to open. Suddenly, when the entrance was wide open, a figure jumped out of nowhere. He thrust his face forward.

"RAAAAAAAGH!"

It was a very hideous face indeed; an eye was hanging out of its bloody socket, the mouth was stretched and distorted, and some of the back teeth were sticking out from the left cheek. In fact, the shout coming from that figure was scary enough as it is!

Well, Honda let out a scream of terror, his arms raised over his head and one leg off the ground. The next thing his friends knew, he fainted. "SPLICER!" Atem shouted, his Bolt plasmid pulsing on his body. Shizuka quickly hid behind her brother, who was readying his Blaze. Then something unexpected happened.

"Gotcha!" The figure laughed, "You should have seen the looks on your faces!" And then he took hold of his face and pulled it off. The ugly splicer mug, it turned out, was actually a nothing more than a mask! In fact, the figure's true face was that of a normal human, a young man in his twenties to be precise! "Of course, by the way that guy reacted," he continued with a playful grin, pointing at Atem, "I'm sure you're more than ready when you face the real thing!"

At first, the team just stared at the young man in utter confusion, and even Honda was just standing up, recovering from the scare. But then Jonouchi started fuming. "W-why you—THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!"

"Hey, hey, chill out!" the man chuckled, "I meant no harm. Besides, splicers are the theme for this year's masquerade rave! The whole Safehouse is taking part in the festivities even as I speak!"

Pegasus smirked and rubbed his chin. "Splicers, eh? Interesting! But I expect nothing less from the residents of this artist's haven."

The young man gawked the moment he laid eyes on the plasmid merchant. "Pegasus J. Crawford? THE Pegasus, Grand Master of the Arts?"

"The one and only!" Pegasus replied. "Of course, I'd appreciate it if you gave us a warning about that little prank of yours."

Yugi stepped forward to face the young man. "And I would too. We just took part in a battle with the real splicer hordes."

Again, the young man gawked. "Prince Yugi of Kyoki, leader of the Mermaid League?" At that, he blushed sheepishly, "Heh, heh, heh… awkward! And we were throwing a belated birthday party for you too!"

"Really?" Yugi stated joyfully, "Thanks!"

"Anyway, come on in!" the young man replied cheerfully, "The Benzaiten Safehouse welcomes you! And that counts for the rest of you too!" And with that, he put his mask back on and dashed away. From beyond the door, music boomed loudly. There was no doubt an air of excitement.

"Birthday?" Atem asked his doppelganger curiously.

"Yeah," Yugi answered, "I just turned sixteen a few days ago."

"Why, congratulations Yugi! When was your birthday exactly?"

"June 4th."

That really took Atem by surprise. "No way! That's my birthday too!"

The rest of the team spun around and stared at the Bolt wielder in astonishment. And Yugi was the most astonished of all. "Seriously?" the League leader gasped.

"Yeah!" Atem replied.

"Whoa! That's crazy! Who would have guessed that you and I have the exact same birthday? W-wait! How old are you now?"

"Uh, well I'm…"

"C'mon Atem, fess up!"

"All right! I'm sixteen years old!"

"No way!" Yugi gasped, "W-what are the chances of that happening? I mean, we come from two different families!"

"I know!" Atem agreed. "First we find out we look alike, and now this!"

"Wow, this is one surprise after another!" Mai mused.

"Yeah Mate!" Varon replied to the violet-eyed shutterbug, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say these two blokes are twins separated at birth!"

Amelda nodded in agreement. "But like Yugi says," he explained, "they're members of two different families. All of this is nothing more than a coincidence."

"That doesn't matter." Raphael stated, "From my perspective it's just one more reason to celebrate." Then he smiled at the Bolt wielder. "What can I say, Atem? Happy belated birthday."

"Aw, thanks Raphael." Atem replied.

"All right everyone, let's move along!" Pegasus stated, "Oh, before we go in, allow me to inform you that hiding your plasmids is not a requirement in this Safehouse—merely an option."

* * *

The moment they entered the Safehouse, Atem and Jonouchi were in awe. There were neon lights flashing in a wide range of colors and patterns, giving them the feel that they had entered Las Vegas. TV screens filled many areas, depicting an array of subjects tied to the arts, from musicals to fashion shows and everything in between. Some of the ads, of course, were more erotic than others. But it was the residents that fascinated them. It was as if every one of them was either a craftsman or some kind of cutting-edge performer. A group of acrobats effortlessly leapt from a balcony with nothing to protect them, doing several twists and turns before landing gracefully on their feet, unharmed by the impact. Meanwhile, five freeform dancers seem to flutter by a delighted crowd surrounding the team. All the while, painters, sculptors, photographers and other artists put their masterpieces on display in open air markets; most even went as far as to demonstrate their skill.

Due to the theme of the upcoming events, a majority of the Benzaiten residents wore masks that looked much like the splicer versions of their original faces. Some even did some satirical role playing that both sympathized with the plight of the real thing and mocked it at the same time. Atem couldn't help but stare at the gruesome spectacle, which was surprisingly entertaining.

_You know Yugi,_ he stated telepathically to his doppelganger, _As strange as it sounds, those people make me want to reactivate my Bolt plasmid._

_Well, since this is the Benzaiten Safehouse, you can hide that plamsid and reactivate it as many times as you like._ Yugi replied mentally, _The same goes for Jonouchi and Kaiba. Although I admit Kaiba looks quite a charmer even without his Blizzard._

The Bolt wielder looked toward Kaiba. Like himself and Jonouchi, the Splicer Killer had decided to hide his plasmid, revealing his normal appearance. _He sure does…_ Atem suddenly gave a frown.

_Huh? What's wrong?_

_Oh nothing. It's just that… right now I've got this feeling that there's something… **disturbing** about him. And I can't seem to shake it._ There was no time to discuss that matter further however, as the team was greeted with yet another spectacle.

"Look! It's Master Pegasus!" exclaimed a stunt cyclist from the top of a ramp, "He's back!"

"And he's with the Mermaid Agents who saved Arcadia!" cried a ventriloquist in excitement.

"Hey! Aren't those the guys who defeated Dr. Steinman?" an acrobat shouted, pointing at Atem, Jonouchi, Honda and Mai. They all gasped in astonishment.

"Yeah, it is! I saw them on the Mermaid League news in the Neptune Safehouse! Boy, it's about time someone kicked his ass!"

"And now they've helped to revive the trees! This is fucking awesome!" In a flash, all eyes were on the whole team. Not long after, a crowd began to gather around them, full of cheering praises.

"W-wha?" Atem stuttered, "How did they know about us?"

Yugi just smiled and replied, "As I've said before, the Agents of the Mermaid League are rightfully known in every Safehouse as heroes. For that reason, news of our exploits travels fast here. Of course, the same can be said for those who have done the League a great service, whether they know about it or not." Seeing the obvious look of confusion upon the Bolt wielder's face, he continued, "Dr. Steinman was one of the few elite splicers that we Mermaid Agents were afraid to approach, let alone challenge. So when we heard that someone finally put an end to his twisted operations, pun intended, we knew we had to check it out. Admittedly though, when we first heard about you through your chance encounter with Anzu and your rescue of Mei Lin, we had yet to figure out that you were the same ones who took down that Picasso surgeon. But eventually we managed to put the pieces together and by now, you know the rest of the story."

"But what about Pegasus?" Jonouchi asked, "These guys keep calling him a Master or something."

"They do that for good reason Jonouchi." Yugi chuckled, "Pegasus' parents were the ones who actually founded Fort Frolic, and he's famous all over Kyoki as a grand master of the arts. Many artists and musicians alike look upon him as a role model, and a lucky handful of them even got to be his students."

"Ah yes, Yugi Boy, those were the good days." Pegasus sighed. "How I missed them so. Even today I can still recall many stories about my disciples."

"Hey! Hey there you guys!" a voice suddenly called out above the voices of the crowd. The team turned around and found themselves face to face with a familiar Winery owner. He was seated on a wooden stool, laptop in hand, surrounded by piles of gruesome masks—some of which were works in progress.

"Ryuzaki!" Mai gasped in surprise.

"What's up!" Ryuzaki greeted with a wave. "Didn't expect to see you guys here!"

"Same thing about you mate!" Varon replied, "What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a Winery to look after?"

"Yeah, but I'm done for the day." Ryuzaki explained, "Plus, I'm having it closed for tomorrow so I can take part in the annual rave. Don't worry, the winery is well guarded against those mutant scatterbrains. As for all this,"—he pointed to the masks that surrounded him—"I volunteered to help in the crafting of these masks. It's a lot of fun, actually! I take photos of people and sketch out the details on my laptop so that they look like splicer versions of themselves, then I have a mold crafted to make a stone bust with which I make the mask. And trust me, these masks go flying right off the shelves when they're done!"

"Hmmm… they do look… realistic." Kaiba mused, "You've got skill."

"Gee, thanks!" Ryuzaki replied sheepishly, appreciating the praise. "If you don't mind, I'll make you guys some masks too! You sure can't have a masquerade rave without 'em!"

"That would be great!" Yugi stated.

The young winery owner simply smiled. "You know, Yugi, I'm surprised I didn't recognize you or Pegasus back in the old Farmer's Market. Thanks a lot for saving Arcadia!"

"No problem." Replied the League leader.

"Hey, Ryuzaki, can I have a look at how you do this?" Jonouchi asked, "You know, how you make people's faces look like that of splicers?"

"Sure!" Ryuzaki answered, and he lifted up a digital camera. "Now hold still with that neutral expression." The sandy blonde did just that, and the photo was taken. It was immediately scanned onto the laptop. "Now, as you can see, your face serves as the canvas on which to craft the mask. This editing program serves as a kind of 'sketchpad' to draft my ideas. Now we just do some manipulations over here…" The team watched as the winery owner did his work. But it was not easy, considering the fact that he was in the way. Finally he turned around. "There! All set! Jonouchi, right? You should consider yourself lucky that you're a Plasmund. Otherwise, this is probably what you'd look like!" And he put the screen of the laptop in full view.

"YIKES!" Jonouchi yelped, and for good reason. His face on the computer was much different with all the edits. It was a sickly pale mess of oversized blemishes, three of which were the size of golf balls! The nose was hideously distorted, lacking any sort of symmetry and the lips were a deadened gawk. The rest of the team was no less shaken by the results.

"Aw man!" Honda stated in a horrified shock, "You made Jonouchi look worse than a rotten butternut squash!"

After a short of while of staring, Atem spoke. "I guess this put things in a whole new perspective. I can only shudder at what we would have been like… if we were not compatible with Nagi."

"Yeah, it's kinda creepy when you put yourselves in the shoes of those monsters." Ryuzaki stated, "Just thinking about it makes me glad I'm not one of 'em!"

"Is there… any kind of symbolism associated with these masks?" Shizuka asked curiously.

The young winery owner nodded. "Mmm-hmm. They serve as a kind of warning to the incompatible, and they also serve as reminders to Plasmunds on how lucky they are. Anyway, some of my best works are gonna be worn at a rock concert taking place in the Silver Stage."

"A rock concert?" Honda stated, growing excited.

"Oh! How delightful!" Pegasus replied cheerfully. "Who's going to be performing?"

"And at what time?" Blossom added.

"Oh, it's several bands actually; one of them just so happens to be this awesome band that's called 'Spliced'!" Ryuzaki answered, "I never miss a single one of their gigs! They're gonna rock out in about an hour, so I've got some time to get started on your masks. All I need is the mold of your faces and I'll do the rest."

"What a coincidence! I happen to know the members of that band!" Pegasus stated joyfully, "Their predecessors were among my most gifted disciples!"

"Really? That's cool!" Jonouchi stated, "I'd like to see that band in action!"

"So do I!" Atem added.

"Anyone else wanna go?" Yugi asked his friends.

"Sure!" Honda replied.

"Count me in!" Anzu stated.

"I'd love to!" Mai responded with a smirk.

"I'll go if Jonouchi is going!" Shizuka added.

Kaiba grunted, "Fine…"

"We'd like to check it out too." Varon stated, pointing to Amelda and Raphael.

"So it's unanimous then?" Yugi asked. The team nodded enthusiastically.

Jonouchi turned his attention to the young winery owner. "All right Ryuzaki, how about you take us to that Silver Stage as soon as we finish casting those face molds?"

"Sure!" Ryuzaki replied, "I just need to take photos to put in my laptop for editing. Then I'd need to put my quick-drying plaster onto each of your faces so I can make the ceramic busts on which to craft your custom masks. And since I already got your photo Jonouchi… you'll get to go first."

* * *

The Silver Stage, so named due to the bright silvery hue that graced the halls, was jam packed with people. The air was filled with anticipation. A death metal band was performing one of its hit songs, its front man practically screaming the lyrics.

"Whoa! Check it out!" Jonouchi gasped as he and the rest of the team navigated around toward the front row. "This place is great!"

"And it's so loud here!" Shizuka added, "Good thing Ryuzaki was nice enough to let us borrow some earplugs." As the team approached their seats, the young winery owner traveled three rows behind him.

"Well, we've made it on time!" he announced, "Spliced is going to perform after this band. After the show's over, I'll head back to work on your masks. I'll see you later when I'm done with 'em!"

"Thanks again Ryuzaki!" Yugi called out.

"No problem!" Ryuzaki stated likewise. And with that he took his seat, disappearing into the crowd. The others quickly took their cue and sat down in the front row.

"Oh! Hello again!" a voice suddenly greeted from close by. Startled, Atem turned to the side and came face to face with a certain home cooking Mermaid Agent. His friends followed in suit.

"Coral!" he gasped in surprise. The African American girl just gave a cute smile and waved. She still had her light blue tube top, but now she has skin-tight pants of the same color and black high-heeled boots reaching to her knees.

"I heard you guys saved Arcadia on the way here!" Coral noted, "The people of the Safehouses are in your debt!"

"Thanks Coral!" Honda replied, "Of course, we couldn't have done it without my Lazarus Vector… or Atem and Yugi for that matter!"

"By the way Hon," Mai stated, "You said that your boyfriend needed some help in something important. Why aren't you with him?"

"Actually Mai, I am with him!" Coral answered with a playful wink "He's part of the rock band, Spliced!"

"He is?" Mai gasped.

"Of course he is!" Pegasus stated and smiled at the Agent's cook. "It's so very nice to see you again Miss Coral! I cannot wait to see your friends perform together on stage!"

Just then, the death metal band had finished their number and the audience erupted into cheers. The front man of the band had started shouting out his thanks, when he noticed the reluctant plasmid merchant seated in front. "Huh? Hold on! C-can it be? Master Pegasus, is that you?" That grabbed the fans' attention. Pegasus stood up from his seat.

"Why yes, it is I!" he replied with a playful smirk.

From behind the skull mask, the front man expressed awe, which quickly turned into joy. He lifted his microphone with its stand. "Hey listen up everybody! The Grand Master of the arts has returned!" The audience voiced their approval very loudly.

"They love us Master!" Blossom squealed, "They love us!"

"Oh, how I missed moments like this!" Pegasus mused.

"Hey, how about you announce our band's act!" Coral suggested.

"You really mean that? What song will they be performing?" To answer his question, Coral stood up and whispered in the Grand Master's ear. Pegasus chuckled. "Why I'd be glad to!" And with that, he climbed up to the stage and took hold of the microphone as the previous band made their departure. The spotlight literally was on him now. "How is everyone doing tonight?" The crowd went wild. When the cheers grew somewhat silent, he continued. "It feel marvelous to be back in the haven of the artist, even if it is not Fort Frolic! But enough about me! We have a show that must go on! So without further ado, Ladies and Gents, allow me to introduce our next set of rock stars. Performing to Skillet's 'Monster', with an introductory poem composed by yours truly, give it up for Spliced!" The crowd cheered as Pegasus stepped to the side, and the spotlight moved over to the center. Slowly, another spotlight shimmered into view revealing what appeared to be a young man holding a red and black V guitar. True to his punk rocker look, he wore a gray vest with red shoulders with spiked studs. Underneath was a black T-shirt displaying an orange skull and crossbones motif on the torso. His right hand had an open-holed glove attached to a studded wristband, and his left forearm was wrapped with a leather band decorated with chains. Dark red jeans were held up by a spike-studded belt, complete with a buckle decorated with a cross, and four metal rings hung on the side of each thigh in a neat vertical row. Under the pants were a pair of thick black boots with studded spikes resting on top of each foot. The most peculiar thing about this thin figure was the shoulder-length hair, straight on the front and spiky on the back. The color was no less interesting, if not oddly familiar; on the front, the left side was midnight black and the right side was a bold crimson, while on the back it was the other way around. Simply put, the color was styled like the close-up of a checkerboard. The team could not see his face, though, for it was hidden behind a mask shaped like a white scallop shell. The guitarist started tugging on the strings and eerie music filled the air. The audience grew silent to listen.

Before long, two more spotlights materialized and with it, two more rockers, a bassist and a drummer. The bassist was a young woman, with familiar long green hair that split into neat rows of black spikes at the bottom. She wore a dark green bikini top with a tattered black denim vest. Armbands studded with several spikes hugged around both her forearms. She also had a green plaid miniskirt held up by a spiked belt and her legs were covered with tattered black stockings. A pair of gray army boots completed the look. This bassist wore a mask that was shaped like brown cat.

The drummer was a stocky figure with short golden blonde hair, his bangs standing straight up in an extreme cowlick. He wore a plain lavender T-shirt covered with a golden leather jacket, tattered blue jeans and gold-colored sneakers. The mask he wore was shaped like a rabbit, and the lower part of this face that was not covered revealed a blocky chin striped with a golden blonde goatee.

Finally, a fourth figure stepped into the center spotlight. He had a thin graceful build with light brown skin. He donned with a black tank short that was tattered in a way that exposed his handsome chest. Over that, he wore a dark blue trenchcoat that reached to his knees. He had a belt made up of three rows of square-shaped studs, and his blue denim pants were wrapped with six cerulean bands, three on each leg. The pants came complete with a dark blue codpiece decorated with two vertical rows of four studs. His plain black leather boots were the only other things that made a sound, until finally the figure was fully exposed. The mask he wore was that of a bird with a large yellow beak and equally large blue plumage, concealing his whole face. But without a doubt, long blue hair seemed to float from behind the disguise, long enough to reach his waist. He had one hand behind his back, and the other hand held a microphone in its stand; it was soon clear that this was the lead vocalist. Slowly, he set it down and grasped it with both hands. Finally the vocalist spoke.

"The Wild Rabbit. By Pegasus J. Crawford."

There was a slight pause, before he began the poem.

"I wanna take the ears off-"

The guitarist abruptly strummed a discordant tone before falling silent. The vocalist knelt in time with the tone.

"—but I can't!"

He slowly rose up.

"I hop… but when I hop, I never get off the ground!"

The guitarist began to tug the strings again, and once more the eerie melody flooded the hall. The vocalist was beginning to raise his voice.

"It's my curse! My eternal curse!"

The melody became more erratic, growing louder by the minute.

"I wanna take the ears off, BUT I CAN'T! It's my CURSE! IT'S MY FUCKING CURSE! I WANNA TAKE THE EARS OFF!"

The vocalist was now screaming, raising the stand high in the air.

"**PLEEEEEEASE! TAKE THEM OOOOOOOOFFF! PLEEEEEEEEEASE**!"

And that was when the song truly began. The guitarist shredded the first part of the riff, and four dancers with sickles emitted melodic screams and they tumbled onto the stage, all of whom wore the hideous splicer face masks. The bassist and the drummer began playing their instruments, and the dancers struck their sickles on the ground to the beat. The vocalist began his part of the song, his voice as spine chillingly beautiful as a mermaid in a storm.

"_**The secret side of me, I never let you see,**_

_**I keep it caged, but I can't control it!**_

_**So stay away from me! The beast is ugly!**_

_**I feel the rage, and I just can't hold it!**_

"_**It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls,**_

_**It comes awake, and I can't control it!**_

_**Hiding under the bed, in my body in my head,**_

_**Why won't somebody come and save me from this?**_

_**MAKE IT END!**_

"_**I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I hate what I've become! The nightmare's just begun!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I—I—feel like a monster!**_

_**I—I—feel like a monster!**_"

The dancers tumbled across the stage during the interlude. The drummer struck his beloved instrument, and to the astonished crowd lightning struck with each hard tap! The vocalist went on with the second verse.

"_**My secret side I keep hid under lock and key,**_

_**I keep it caged, and I can't control it!**_

'_**Cause if I let him out, he'll tear me up, bring me down!**_

_**Why won't somebody come and save me from this?**_

_**MAKE IT END!**_

"_**I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I hate what I've become! The nightmare's just begun!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_"

The audience joined in at that moment, singing along to the beat.

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

Right then, the dancers began ripping the animal masks off from the rockers one by one, starting with the drummer. There was a bulging tumor on the upper half of his splicer face, obscuring one eye. He opened his mouth to reveal sharp teeth as the vocalist went on with the melody.

"_**It's hiding in the dark! Its teeth are razor sharp!**_"

The guitarist was the next to lose his mask, his splicer face looked as though some flesh had been grafted on him in the shape of a crude mask.

"_**There's no escape for me! It wants my soul, it wants my heart!**_"

Then the bassist was exposed. Half of the splicer face she wore had the appearance of freshly burnt flesh, with an empty eye socket.

"_**No one can hear me scream! Maybe it's just a dream,**_

_**Or maybe it's inside of me! STOP THIS MONSTER!**_"

Right at that very moment, the last dancer struck. She sliced the bird mask in two, and it clattered to the ground, making the vocalist bend down and cover his face with his hand, his hair hanging around him. For a while, it seemed as if he would stand that way as the music continued. But then, finally, he began to sing again, drawing close a curious Shizuka.

"_**I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin!**_

_**I must confess that I—**_

_**FEEL LIKE A MONSTER!**_"

At that last part, he lifted his head, revealing his splicer face for all to see. It was swollen, the left cheek bursting open, lips oversized and puffy, and one eye was proportionally larger than the other. Naturally, Shizuka screamed in horror at the sight. Then the band continued with their song.

"_**I hate what I've become! The nightmare's just begun!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I feel it deep within! It's just beneath the skin!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_

_**I kinda lose control! It's something radical!**_

_**I must confess that I feel like a monster!**_"

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

"I!"

"_**I!**_"

"I!"

"_**I—feel like a monster!**_"

The song ended with a bang. When it was over, the cheers were overwhelming. Even the team was giving a standing ovation.

"These guys are fantastic!" Honda stated.

"I expect nothing less!" Kaiba mused.

Suddenly Jonouchi climbed up onto the stage, surprising even his childhood friend. "J-Jonouchi!" Atem stuttered, "What are you doing?" The sandy blonde simply approached the band.

"Hey! You guys rocked out there!" he complimented. Soon his eyes spotted the guitarist. Perplexed, he stepped toward him. "Um… I know this sounds like a stupid question, but… do I know you?"

In response, the guitarist gave a mischievous chuckle. Before any more words could be said, he removed the splicer face mask. Behind it was the guitarist's true face, handsome… and very familiar indeed! "Surprise!"

"Stephen!" Jonouchi shouted in amazement. The bassist removed her mask, also revealing her true face. Her lips curled into a playful smirk.

"Emily!" Atem gasped, getting on the stage now. "Is that really you?"

"Duh!" Emily replied, "I bet you didn't expect us to be rock stars!"

The drummer suddenly spat out the false canine teeth and ripped off his mask. The bridge of his nose was raised to look like a crooked bump when seen on the side. He even had a purple nose ring on the side of his left nostril. Deep violet eyes danced with a carefree kind of fun. "Whazzap Dudes!" the drummer greeted cheerfully, "Oscar Fitzpatrick at your service!"

"Oscar, cut it out!" Stephen moaned, sweatdropping, "You're embarrassing us!"

"Sorry." The drummer, Oscar, ruefully stated, "Just trying to make a good introduction."

"Hey no problem." Stephen reassured. "We just don't want you to go overboard just because we're famous."

The vocalist chucked in a captivating tenor voice. "You guys…"

"Oscar Fitzpatrick huh?" Jonouchi stated. "Well, it's nice to meet you! My name is…"

"Jonouchi Katsuya." Oscar finished cheerfully, "Yeah, Dude, we know! Our buddies already told us about you and Atem!"

"True," the vocalist noted, "But this is the first time we've met face to face." He then proceeded to remove his splicer 'face'. The true face behind it was actually very handsome, the features hinting that he is both African and Asian in descent. His sky blue eyes held a serene demeanor. "Allow me to introduce myself, Atem. I am Nathaniel Xavier, front man of Spliced,"—he lifted up the fold of his trenchcoat, revealing a familiar mermaid brooch—"and certified computer wizard of the Mermaid League."

Atem and Jonouchi gasped in surprise. At that moment, an equally surprised Kaiba leapt up on stage, as did Mai. "You're a Mermaid Agent too?" the Splicer Killer gasped. "And a computer hacker?"

"Of course." The vocalist, Nathaniel, replied calmly, "In fact, I was the one who hacked into Raiden's computers and got some of his personal information."

"That's my boo!" Coral piped up, proud of the young front man now revealed to be her boyfriend.

"Wow, you must be very talented!" Mai complimented.

"Thanks." Nathaniel replied, "It's never easy to hack into enemy mainframes, so when I'm not doing a mission I write songs for the band and do some covers as well; I always find joy in raising the spirits of the oppressed."

"Yeah, me too Dude!" Oscar added, revealing his own mermaid brooch from under the fold of his jacket. "I beat drums when I'm not beating up bad guys!"

Kaiba could only chuckle. "Not bad. But I can do better with the bass guitar than you can do with a bunch of drums."

"HEY WATCH IT!" Oscar barked, feeling insulted.

"In fact, I bet I can play a song better than any of you guys in spliced, with the help of some friends of course."

Nathaniel lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "So you're challenging us eh? And who exactly is going to help you Kaiba-Mon?"

"It's obvious isn't it?" Kaiba replied with a smirk. "While I do the bass, the Mutt will do lead guitar, and Atem over here will do the vocals. As for who's doing the drums, I'm sure Mai has the skill."

"Whoa!" Yugi gasped, "I-isn't that a little much Kaiba?"

"Don't worry Yugi." Atem reassured, "It'll be just fine. Besides, I've always wanted to play the role of the vocalist."

"And I played some electric guitar at one time myself." Jonouchi added. "I'm actually pretty good at it, if you know what I mean."

"I was more of a blackjack dealer than a musician," Mai stated, "But I'm willing to play the beat."

"Ha! You're on then!" Stephen shouted with a grin, "Let's see what you got!" He tossed his red V guitar to the sandy blonde, while the rest of the band handed over their respective instruments. Needless to say, the crowd was growing enthusiastically curious.

"My! This is going to be interesting!" Pegasus mused, "Tell me, what song will you be performing?"

It was Atem that gave an answer. "How about 'Indestructible' by the rock band, Disturbed?"

"Ooo! I never heard that before!" Blossom squeaked.

"Well then let's get on with it shall we?" Pegasus encouraged, and the audience cheered in response. The makeshift band grew confident. The song that the Bolt wielder had named was a song they knew well. The three elemental Plasmunds decided to reequip their respective plasmids, allowing its powers to spread to their instruments. Mai tapped the sticks, setting the rhythm. And finally, the song officially went underway. Indeed, Jonouchi proved to be an excellent guitarist, shredding in time with the Splicer Killer's booming bass. Even Mai's drum playing was exceptional. But then things really got exciting when Atem began to sing the vocals.

"_**Another mission, the powers have called me away,**_

_**Another time to carry my colors again.**_

_**My motivation, an oath I've sworn to defend:**_

_**To win the honor of coming back home again!**_

"_**No explanation will matter after we begin;**_

_**Unlock the dark destroyer that's buried within.**_

_**My true vocation, and now my unfortunate friend,**_

_**You will discover a war you're unable to win!**_

"_**I'll have you know that I've become…**_

"_**Indestructible!**_

_**Determination that is incorruptible!**_

_**From the other side a terror to behold,**_

_**Annihilation will be unavoidable!**_

_**Every broken enemy will know**_

_**That their opponent had to be invincible,**_

_**Take a last look around while you're alive**_

_**I'm and indestructible master of war!**_"

All the while, the plasmids flashed the stage, bringing a visual display that flickered in time with the music. For the audience, it was an awesome spectacle of the eyes and the ears.

"_**Another reason, another cause for me to fight,**_

_**Another fuse uncovered now for me to light.**_

_**My dedication to all who I've sworn to protect**_

_**I carry out my orders without a regret!**_

"_**A declaration embedded deep under my skin,**_

_**A permanent reminder of how it began!**_

_**No hesitation when I am commanded to strike**_

_**You need to know that you're in for the fight of your life!**_

"_**You will be shown how I've become…**_

"_**Indestructible!**_

_**Determination that is incorruptible!**_

_**From the other side a terror to behold,**_

_**Annihilation will be unavoidable!**_

_**Every broken enemy will know**_

_**That their opponent had to be invincible,**_

_**Take a last look around while you're alive**_

_**I'm an indestructible master of war!**_"

As the makeshift band got to the bridge of the song, the plasmids joined together to form a massive elemental storm on stage. Jonouchi quickly took his cue to shred the guitar solo. Unbeknownst to any of them, there was a strange figure watching them from the shadows. It was a man, wearing a fine silk tuxedo and a golden bunny mask. Chapped lips smirked in wicked interest. "Looks like these little butterflies got some potential."

The performers on stage were all unaware of this presence, and Atem went on with the climax.

"_**I'm Indestructible!**_

_**Determination that is incorruptible!**_

_**From the other side a terror to behold,**_

_**Annihilation will be unavoidable!**_

_**Every broken enemy will know**_

_**That their opponent has to be invincible!**_

_**Take a last look around while you're alive**_

_**I am indestructible! (Indestructible!)**_

"_**Indestructible!**_

_**Determination that is incorruptible!**_

_**From the other side a terror to behold,**_

_**Annihilation will be unavoidable!**_

_**Every broken enemy will know**_

_**That their opponent has to be invincible!**_

_**Take a last look around while you're alive**_

_**I'm an indestructible master of war!**_"

The storm of plasmids by now had become a fierce maelstrom, and everyone was loving it! Finally the elemental storm dissipated, and the song was finished. The standing ovation was incredible! Atem, Jonouchi and Kaiba hid their plasmids once more.

"Aw yeah, YOU ROCK!" Stephen shouted.

Kaiba smirked at the front man of Spliced. "So… what do you think?"

"Yes, I admit that was very impressive." Nathaniel replied, "But you're certainly not as impressive as Atem-Mon and Jonouchi-Mon." The Splicer Killer fell flat on his face.

"I don't believe it…" he muttered.

"I'm just being honest." Nathaniel stated.

"WOO-HOO! Strike one for Kaiba!" Jonouchi cheered.

"Don't get too cocky Jonouchi." Mai warned with a smirk.

"I WON'T!" Jonouchi barked back, blushing.

"Whoa!" Yugi gasped in amazement at his doppelganger, "You were awesome Atem! You got a great singing voice!"

"Thanks Yugi." Atem replied.

Pegasus made his approach; he and Blossom were clapping. "What a magnificent performance everyone!"

"Yeah, WICKED COOL!" Blossom squeaked.

"Let's give them a round of applause!" the plasmid merchant called out, and the crowd went wild. And for the moment, everyone on stage reveled in the adoration.

* * *

Later that night, the whole team was at a bar near the Maneki Neko casino and arcade. To Atem's delight, the Benzaiten Safehouse wasn't just an artist haven… it was also a gamer's heaven. He could see a wide variety of games being played, from poker and blackjack, to slot machines and pinball, even some arcade games and some Dance Dance Revolution. What impressed him the most was that there was a Duel Monsters table, for he considered himself a pro at Duel Monsters since he was ten years old. And it was no ordinary table; it had holograms that brought monsters and effects to life! But he brushed the thought aside as Coral arrived with their dinner.

"There you go everyone!" she stated, "It's all on me!"

"Oh yeah! Thanks Coral!" Jonouchi replied before he, Honda and Oscar all began to gorge on their five star meals. It wasn't long before Telekinesis wielder started fighting over a piece of steak with Oscar.

"Hey, let go of my steak!" Honda barked.

"You mean my steak!" Oscar shouted back, and they both went over a bit of a food tug-o-war.

While that was going on, Mai decided to chat with the sandy blonde. "So Jonouchi, I was wondering… what do you like to eat more than any other dish?"

"Who me? Oh! Curry is my favorite food." Jonouchi replied.

"Curry?" Stephen gasped before his lips curled into a grin. "That's my favorite food too!"

"Oh no…!" Nathaniel stated under his breath, shivering in growing fear. A rather confused Jonouchi blinked.

"What's up Nathaniel?" he asked.

"I know it's embarrassing to talk about, but curry is one of the few dishes that I just cannot stand." The vocalist was teary eyed by now. "Whenever I look at it, I always think it's out to get me!"

"O-kay… that's the weirdest thing I've heard in this whole trip." Jonouchi mumbled.

"Actually, his aversion to curry is legit." Emily explained, "Stephen once had him try some of the infamous Volcano-of-Death curry that he was eating. After just one bite, the lining of Nathaniel's stomach was so fried that he actually started breathing fire! He had to drink at least twenty whole gallons of milk just to put out! Then when all that shit was done, he spent the rest of the night in the men's bathroom!"

"I can confirm that. Because believe it or not, he's got the Blizzard plasmid in his person." Coral added, "And even before he equipped that plasmid for the first time, he always seemed to have a bad reaction to spicy foods. Trust me, it was not a pretty sight."

"I guess I see what you mean." Jonouchi mused. "Fire and ice usually don't mix… Although, I feel much more comfortable around Nathaniel than I do around another certain Fridge Boy, if you know who I'm talking about."

Kaiba glared at the sandy blonde. "Yeah Mutt, I know exactly who you're talking about."

Atem smiled at the antics of his friends, both old and new. He then turned toward the reluctant plasmid merchant, now revealed to be the Master Artist. "Pegasus," he asked, "How long were you the Grand Master of the Arts? What was Fort Frolic like… before all this happened?"

Pegasus had a solemn look on his face, and he put down his glass of red wine. "As I had said before, I was but a small child when Kyoki was founded. My parents worked together as the first Grand Masters upon the founding of Fort Frolic. I got my love for the arts growing up there, and I did my very best to follow in my parents' footsteps. During my late adolescence, they deemed me worthy to become one of their number, and that was when I took the honorary title of Grand Master of the Arts. When they got killed during the War of Smugglers, I inherited Fort Frolic and made several great improvements." He smiled wistfully as he recalled the memories he had of the old artist's haven. "Ah, the place was magnificent back then, even more so than the Benzaiten Safehouse is today. It was like a fantasy world."

Mai decided to speak up. "I grew up in the spotlight while my mother worked at the casinos. My father died of a sudden illness when I was three years old, so my mother took it upon herself to raise me, even if it meant taking me to work. I told you this before, but she and Pegasus were great friends. They often exchanged tips improving games and works of art. He even gave her some of his paintings."

"You do painting Pegasus?" Jonouchi gasped. By then Oscar managed to yank the steak from Honda's hands and starting gobbling it down.

"That's right Jonouchi Boy." Pegasus replied rather proudly. "My oil paintings were famous all over Kyoki. You can still see some of my masterpieces in several Safehouses."

"Yeah, like that one painting in the Asclepius Safehouse," Blossom squeaked, "where a realistic surgeon was working on a patient that looked like he was made by Picasso!"

Atem gasped in surprise. "_**What?**_ Jonouchi and I saw that painting when we came to this nightmare of a city! You were the one who created that?"

"Of course." Pegasus replied, "After seeing the victims of Dr. Steinman's twisted plastic surgeries, I had to express their pain on a canvas. Steinman may have claimed to be an artist himself, but he's certainly is no artist in my book. That's just one of the reasons why I'm glad he's out of the picture." A grin returned to the Master Artist's face. "But anyway, on with the story." Soon everyone at the table decided to stop what they were doing and listen. "My name was known far and wide all over the whole city. Many artists came to me in Fort Frolic, hoping to impress me with their skills and their talents. Of course, not everyone got to be my disciple, but most were inspired enough by my presence that they eventually became extraordinary practitioners of the arts, some of which became famous in their own right. But my disciples were among the most famous lot of them all. Among them were two individuals: One was the showman Sander Cohen. The other was my personal favorite, Cyndia Culpepper, a remarkable singer with a strong sense of right and wrong. These two amassed disciples of their own, bringing forth new generations of celebrities and artistes. It was Cyndia, however, that inspired a great number of fans and activists. One of the most well known of her supporters were The Topsiders, a modern progressive rock band that was the predecessor of Spliced! They all had such exceptional talent, and they were so inspired by Cyndia that they served as my disciples in her honor!"

"Whoa! The Topsiders? They were the predecessors of Spliced?" Yugi gasped, "I didn't know about that!"

"Yeah, Yugi Mon." Nathaniel confirmed with a serene smile. "Those guys were our heroes when we were kids. We used to go to every one of their gigs."

"I especially like Markus Shredder." Stephen added, "He's the one who inspired me to become a lead guitarist like him!"

"Everything in life seemed to go so perfectly. In fact, my relationship with Cyndia became much more than that of a student and master; we actually fell in love with each other." Pegasus continued, and soon he frowned. "But there was one thing that shattered everything. According to Ryu Mutou, Kyoki is supposed to be a city where the artists and performers would not fear the censor. But he and many other citizens failed to realize one thing: that the artist themselves can be their own worst critic. Cohen was the best example. He showed promise, but more often than not, he failed to live up to his potential. Of course, he was too arrogant and thickheaded to think that he could do any wrong: He took even the slightest questioning of his ways as not only an insult to himself but also to the very principles of Kyoki and its Great Chain. Not surprisingly, he was extremely jealous of Cyndia, claiming that she in particular had no place in the city. As always, I beg to differ. But on February of 2003, the unthinkable occurred: Ryu Mutou hired Cohen to shill for him in Fort Frolic. That prick would often write and perform propaganda pieces on Mutou's behalf, and so would his followers. Cyndia was the first to stand up to him openly, and also stand up to Mutou. She wrote several songs that harshly criticized Mutou and his growing corruption. One of those songs, 'Hell in Rapture' was one of the hit singles performed by The Topsiders. As the months passed by, it was apparent that the feud was escalating…"

"**Pegasus, take a look at this!" Cyndia shouted, and the Grand Master of the Arts looked up from his latest oil painting project.**

"**What is it?" he queried. The starlet eyed the TV, and he followed her furious gaze. There on the screen was a darkly handsome young man with long black hair and a snazzy tuxedo. "Sander Cohen! On the 'Frolic Tonight' entertainment show?"**

"**_Kyoki is going to hell._" Cohen muttered in his interview, "_And why? Because of them… they're always behind the scenes. At Woodstock, at the Paris Louvre museum, even in this so-called utopia: The Doubters! But Mutou understands, somewhat. You might say we're simpatico. Yeah, there's blood in the streets. Yeah, people sometimes… vanish. And let's not mention those disgusting little boys and girls! I still don't know why Kyoki's King would actually want to protect those shits! I suppose the Doubters think you can paint a non-digital picture without soiling your apron. As for your review on Cyndia Culpepper's latest musical insult… Of all the more worthy pop culture icons in Kyoki, why you continue to dedicate the spotlight to cultists devoted to this musical SLUT is beyond my comprehension! Where she's not derivative, she's a total snore fest! Where she's not a snore fest, she sticks out like a sore thumb! Where she doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, she's a dangerous threat to everything this city stands for!_" Cyndia turned off the TV.**

"**Can you believe this?" she growled, "All those lies about me!"**

"**I know Cyndia." Pegasus agreed, "I just cannot believe that an artist like Cohen would conjure up such bullshit!"**

**Cyndia glared at her lover. "Are you kidding me? Cohen isn't an artist or even a musician. He's Mutou's zookeeper. Mutou's increasingly corrupt policies crap all over the place, and Cohen flutters around like a sugar plum fairy to clean it up. But rather than use a shovel, like you would a proper pachyderm, Cohen tidies with an 'epic' rock ballad and a clever rap song that moves like Mick Jagger. But you know what? No matter how hip or cool it sounds, he could do absolutely nothing to hide the stench."**

"**Yet another reason I support your efforts wholeheartedly my love." Pegasus replied, kissing Cyndia in the lips. "Although… I cannot help but worry about you. With Mutou listening in on your songs, there's always a chance that someday, you'll get captured for your defiance and then tortured… or worse, killed!"**

**Cyndia simply smiled. "If it is my fate to die, so be it. No matter what, I will stand up for what is right… even if it makes a martyr out of me."**

"…Little did I realize how those word would become a dreadful reality. In late December, three days before New Years Eve, that was how I came across Cyndia, brutally murdered in the bath. And I had no idea who did the bloody deed." The tears streamed down the plasmid merchant's one good eye. "After that, I fled Fort Frolic and had not returned since."

"Cyndia's death was a terrible tragedy." Coral stated, "But some of her supporters suffered even worse… most notably, the members of The Topsiders."

Shizuka was obviously scared at what she had heard. "W-what happened to them?" she stuttered.

Stephen grew sad. "We were afraid you'd ask that. In March of 2004, The Topsiders took a great risk to do a concert out in the open, to lift the spirits of the oppressed with a tribute they dedicated to Cyndia. My friends and I were all there, up close to the action, cheering for these titans of rock and freedom. We were only twelve to thirteen years old. They were unstoppable… or so we thought."

"In the beginning, things went smoothly." Oscar explained. "The music was the definition of epic; their lyrics, inspirational. Then out of nowhere, it happened. The concert was in full swing, and suddenly, Mutou's guards came bursting in with their weapons. At first, we all thought it was part of the show, for The Topsiders continued with their song, initially unaware of the intrusion. But then the guards attacked."

Nathaniel sorrowfully bowed his head. "One by one, Motou's men executed the entire band in a brutal massacre, right in full view of their biggest fans. They started with the lead singer: At the peak of her greatest solo, a crossbow bolt struck her in the throat without warning, silencing her forever. Then as she fell, they impaled her with swords to finish her off. She didn't even stand a chance."

"The bassist was the next target." Emily sighed, "They set fire to his pants, and the flames eventually crawled up his body, melting his flesh until he was reduced to ashes and ooze."

"Seeing what happened to the first two dudes, the band's drummer tried to run away and escape the guards." Oscar continued, "But he was cornered, and he could do nothing as they bashed him, literally beating him to a pulp."

Stephen sighed, shuddering a little at the memories. "Only Markus was able to fight back. And he fought with such incredible bravery and determination. But sadly, it was not enough. Since he was no Plasmund, he couldn't stand up to the large number of combatants single handedly. When it became clear to him that the end was near, he tied himself up on a pillar with his own belt and chains, all with the intention to die standing up. I still remember him looking at me, and giving me that resigned smile at the very last moment of his life. It was a smile that continues to haunt me… a smile of a hero who was not afraid to die for what's right. Markus' electric guitar was shaped like a great axe—and it was just as sharp. And indeed, he died standing up, for Mutou's guards used his own guitar to chop off his head. And so concluded the most horrifying day of our lives, the day The Topsiders were slaughtered." After that, there was a moment of silence among the Mermaid Agents that made up the rock band, Spliced.

"Of course…" Nathaniel stated, "The Topsiders were not the last to take the stage on behalf of the people, even at the risk of death. While some artists joined Cohen's bandwagon after the demise of our heroes, many more continued to pick up where Cyndia and her supporters left off. Among them are the people who would eventually become the residents of this very Safehouse; they were the ones lucky enough to survive to this point."

"And you guys were among them?" Honda asked.

"Yeah, but we didn't become active rockers until the First Kyoki War." Emily explained, "We all knew that when we're old enough, we wanted to do what The Topsiders before us had done: to bring hope with our music, and to take an active role in the overthrowing of Ryu Mutou. But Raiden's cause seemed untrustworthy to us, so we initially remained in the Safehouses. Luckily, all that changed with the birth of the Mermaid League."

"Yeah, I remember the first time we met Yugi face to face." Oscar stated cheerfully. "We were surprised at first to find that the leader of this League was none other than the Prince of Kyoki. But one look in his eyes and bam! We knew at once that we can trust him above all the others! We helped the other Mermaid Agents out in a couple of missions, and in doing so we discovered some talents other than music. Not only that, we also turned out to be Plasmunds."

"Eventually we were invited to actually join the Mermaid League and become Agents ourselves." Coral finished, "We accepted the invitation and the rest was history."

"That's awesome guys!" Jonouchi complimented.

"So aside from the goals common to all Mermaid Agents," Atem asked, "For what other reasons did you join the League?"

"Simple." Yugi answered, "It's vengeance."

"I don't know why," Stephen explained, "but like my friends, I had a feeling that Sander Cohen was the one who was ultimately responsible for the death of Markus and The Topsiders. He had the favor of Ryu Mutou, after all. And since he's not usually the kind of jealous lunatic to get his hands dirty, it wouldn't be a surprise that he convinced Mutou to send out his guards and initiate the murders. Eventually, we wanted to make him pay for what he has done. For now, though, we're biding our time; we got a more powerful enemy to deal with first."

Pegasus was starting to weep tears of joy for his protégés. "Oh, you make me so proud! In fact, I actually feel inspired to support the Mermaid League even more than ever before!"

"Well… since you mentioned it Pegasus, I think I have a better idea." Yugi stated, standing up. "How about you actually join the Mermaid League?"

The Master Artist gasped in astonishment. "Are you serious Yugi Boy?"

"Yep." Replied the Prince of Kyoki, and he smiled at his other friends, "And I'm extending this invitation to Mai, Honda, Jonouchi, Kaiba and of course… Atem."

"Wha?" Honda exclaimed in surprise.

"You want us to become Mermaid Agents?" Mai asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"For real?" Jonouchi added.

"Of course!" Yugi replied, "Each and every one of you have done the Mermaid League a great service in the last three days. We would never have been able to accomplish the deeds we have done without you guys. We would be happy if you become one of us and further our cause."

"Yugi…" Atem gasped, "Are you sure? I don't know if my friends and I have what it takes."

"Of course you do!" Anzu replied suddenly, "You rescued the Scavengers, and even the first of the four Reapers. And you watched our backs when one or more of us was in danger. Most importantly, you played a big role in the downfall of Steinman and the salvation of Arcadia. How much more evidence do you need?"

"She has a point Atem." Raphael noted with a wink, "We actually make a great team! So why not make it official?"

"That's right Mate!" Varon agreed.

"What do you say?" Amelda asked.

After a moment of silence, Kaiba smirked. "Heh, I guess it's a decent proposal. And who knows? It might even be better than serving Raiden."

"You can count me in!" Honda stated.

"Why it would be an honor Yugi Boy!" Pegasus added.

"I agree." Mai stated with a confident smirk, "I'm happy to join!"

"Me too!" Jonouchi replied, "I think being a Mermaid Agent would be great!"

Finally, Atem smiled and nodded to his doppelganger. "I accept!"

Yugi returned the smile in excitement. "Then it's settled! Tomorrow the six of you will be inducted in a ceremony at the start of the rave, and everyone in the Safehouses will be watching."

"Oh yeah! We're gonna get six new Mermaid Agents!" Emily cheered.

"I'm so happy for you Jonouchi!" Shizuka cried in joy. The surrounding crowd turned toward the table; the excitement about the news was growing.

"New Mermaid Agents?"

"Awesome!"

"I can hardly wait!"

Varon grinned at the reaction and turned toward his soon-to-be fellow Agents. "Looks like you're getting to be quite popular!"

"I can live with that." Atem replied. "In the meantime, I feel like playing some games. Duel Monsters in particular."

"Oh come on!" Kaiba boasted, "Around these parts, I'm a Duel Monsters Champion!"

"Well, I happened to be the best in my school back on the surface!" Atem stated with a smirk. "I've practiced every day after doing homework."

"You still won't beat me!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"You're damn right it's a challenge!"

"Then I accept!" Atem finally declared, standing up, "You're going to regret it Kaiba!"

"I'll make you eat your words!" Kaiba replied, and the two of them made their way to the Duel Monsters table.

"You can do it Atem!" Jonouchi cheered, "Kick his butt!" In fact, a large audience gathered around to see the duel between the Splicer Killer and the Bolt wielder. Atem was quietly thankful that he managed to retain his deck after the plane crash, for he could already tell that his opponent was a force to be reckoned with.

Soon the duel started. Indeed, Kaiba was a tough player. He had a great strategy, and powerful monsters. And when he summoned his trump card, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, a huge chunk of the Bolt wielder's life points was demolished, leaving him on the edge of defeat. But Atem refused to give up. He had a strategy of his own, and a great deal of faith in his monsters. Right at the very last moment, he summoned his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, and powered them up with some mighty magic and trap cards. The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon didn't stand a chance.

"Now Dark Magician!" Atem commanded, "Finish him off with DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" And the monster followed up on a direct attack, wiping out the rest of Kaiba's life points. In an instant, it was over. "I win." Atem stated with a smirk. The crowd cheered wildly.

As for Kaiba, he was completely shocked at the outcome. "This can't be! Impossible!"

"Yeah! Strike two for Kaiba!" Jonouchi shouted.

"Great job Atem!" Anzu cheered.

"Congratulations Atem Boy," Pegasus called out, "You're Kyoki's new Duel Monster champion

After a moment of stunned silence on his part, the Splicer Killer finally chuckled bitterly. "Looks like I underestimated you… I never thought that I would lose to someone like you." He lifted his head, his wounded pride evident on his face. "Mark my words Atem: I won't lose to you next time."

"We'll see." Atem replied, and they both stepped away from the table to join their companions. But right at that moment…

"Atem." A soft voice spoke, surprising the Bolt wielder to no end. But he was further astonished when he saw the owner of that voice… another familiar face.

"Ishizu!" Atem gasped.

"Ishizu?" Jonouchi queried in confusion.

"Jonouchi, this is Ishizu Ishtar." Atem introduced, "She's the one who ran the Pharaonic temple and shop in the Neptune Safehouse."

The High Priestess of Isis smiled serenely. "It's been two days since we met, hasn't it?"

"It sure has." Atem replied, "What are you doing here?"

"Believe it or not, I was looking for you." Ishizu answered. "As the High Priestess of Isis, I have the powers of a seer given to me by this necklace."—She briefly lifted the gold necklace in question—"I sensed in a vision that you and your friend are about to become Mermaid Agents, so I came here."

"Are you a Mermaid Agent too?" Jonouchi asked.

"No Jonouchi," Ishizu replied, "but I support the League with all my heart and give them as much aid as I could." She then turned toward Atem. "In any case, could I speak to you and your friend… alone?"

Initially perplexed, Atem calmed down and replied, "Of course." He faced the League Leader and their friends. "Yugi, would you mind if Jonouchi and I…"

"Go right ahead." Yugi answered. "We'll be hanging out and playing games. We'll meet by the DDR game when you're done."

"Thank you." Atem replied. So he and his childhood friend followed Ishizu to another room, not far from the Maneki Neko. It was a quiet spot, with a small table. There, the three of them took their seats. "All right then," Atem encouraged, "What do you want to tell us?"

There was a sorrowful look in Ishizu's eyes. "First of all… I have a request to ask of you." She took out a photo and showed it to the surface dwellers. The picture was that of a young teenage Ishizu, along with what appeared to be a ten-year-old boy. "You see, I have a younger brother, just your age. Marik Ishtar is his name."

"Marik…" Atem repeated. Suddenly, Jonouchi let out a gasp.

"Hey!" he cried, "That kid looks just like that Reaper we saw at Dragon King's Bounty!"

"You're right!" Atem gasped, "The boy in that picture does bear a resemblance to that particular Reaper!" He then faced the High Priestess, almost afraid to ask his next question. "Ishizu… was that Reaper…"

"Yes." Ishizu confirmed. "That Reaper you saw was my brother. My family originally came from Egypt, and they traveled to Kyoki in hope of escaping religious persecution brought about by a small clan of extremist Muslims. From the moment Marik was born, our father trained him harshly, saying that his destiny was to lead the faith as the head of our clan. But Marik wanted none of that. So one day, he ran away. I knew what happened next because he convinced me to go with him. Eventually, we came across the Otouto Imouto Orphanage. There, we met Dartz, the man who founded that place. He promised to let Marik stay indefinitely… but only under one condition: that he become a living Nagi factory, a Scavenger. He accepted, figuring that our father would not want a Scavenger as the clan leader. And he was right; when our father discovered what had happened, he wanted nothing to do with his son. It was in May of 2002 when it all happened. Things got worse when the Shootout came around. Father was among those who were slain in that battle. When Mutou emerged victorious, Dr. Suchong raided the Orphanage, taking several Scavengers. Marik was among them. It has been seven years since that day, and I still worry about him. My seer's necklace is unable to pinpoint the exact location of my brother, but this I know for sure: that he is still alive, and wandering the streets as a powerful Reaper." By now the tears were streaming down her cheeks. "But the risk of him being killed by hungry splicers isn't what scares me. It's the fact that, since he's sixteen, his symbiotic relationship with his slug would collapse at any time. I can't bear the thought of losing him in this way. So Atem, Jonouchi… if you and the other Mermaid Agents come across him again in your travels… please save him. With the power of the Restoration plasmid in your hands, you're my only hope."

Atem and Jonouchi were moved. In every respect, Marik was just like Shizuka. "All right Ishizu." Atem stated reassuringly, "We'll do our best to find your brother, and rescue him from his impending fate."

"Thank you!" Ishizu replied gratefully, "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Is there anything else you want to talk to us about?" Jonouchi asked.

"… Yes." Ishizu answered, growing serious. "It concerns the both of you. Especially you, Atem."

"Me?" Atem asked.

"You and Jonouchi come from the surface, correct?"

The Bolt wielder's eyes widened in amazement. "Yes! But how…?"

"From the moment I met you, I know a great deal about you through my powers as a seer." Ishizu explained. "You arrived four days ago on the night of your sixteenth birthday, when the plane you boarded crashed at the center of the Pacific Ocean. And now you're seeking a way out of this place." Before he could marvel at the High Priestess' words, she asked him, "Now tell me Atem, and be honest… what was your reason for boarding that plane in the first place?" The Bolt wielder did not answer. So she looked deep into his crimson eyes. "You're searching for something, aren't you? Something very important to you… What is it that you seek?"

After a few seconds of silence, Atem finally sighed. "The keys to my past. I have had amnesia since I was ten years old, and it's only recently that I discovered that I was adopted. My foster parents told me that my real family is still alive and that they are waiting for me somewhere in this world. So I figured… if I find my real family, I might regain my lost memories as well."

"And you intend to search the whole world for your origins?" Ishizu asked.

"Yes." Atem replied.

For a moment, Ishizu was silent. The she closed her eyes. "Your quest is nearing its end."

"What?" Atem gasped. "But how can you say that? It hasn't even begun yet!"

"You seek the keys to your past." Ishizu explained, "And I know exactly where you will find them!"

"Then please, tell me!" Atem pleaded, "Where is my real family? And who are they?"

"…I cannot tell you the exact identity of your birth family, because I know it will cause you pain. You have no choice but to learn of them for yourself. But I can tell you this much: Your birth parents… they are members of the Kyoki Council. They have lived here since the day of its founding. In fact, you will never find a single member of your birth family anywhere else in the world, for none of them has ever left."

Atem and Jonouchi stared at the High Priestess in utter shock. "But that could only mean…!" Atem stated in a hushed tone.

Ishizu opened her eyes. "Yes. Welcome back, Atem… Welcome to the city where you were born and raised!"

Note: WHOA NELLY! Now that is what I call a bombshell! In the next chapter, the newest member of the Mermaid League get inducted, and as the Masquerade Rave begins, romantic feelings begin to emerge! But how will Atem cope with the recent revelation before heading out to Fort Frolic? Will he even find the courage to delve deeper into his past? Until Next Time!


	32. Chapter 32

Note: It took me a while with this one, but FINALLY, I'm finished with this chapter! It took tons of squeezing on my part to get those creative juices out, especially since my brother has a hard time helping me think up plot details. Hopefully I would have better luck with the next chapter after this. Thank you so much for the encouraging reviews everyone; I really need as much encouragement as I can get! Anyway, let's get on with it. Atem and Jonouchi have a private chat as to last night's revelation, especially about the one person that may as well be the captor of Atem's real parents. It's party time for the newest Agents of the Mermaid League, and as the dance party goes into full swing, love is in the air- especially for Jonouchi and a certain violet-eyed shutterbug. Of course, even though this fic is rated M, you won't find any lemons here: just some very subtle lemonade on the part for you Polarshippers. But still, I hope this chapter would be entertaining enough for you. So enjoy!

**Chapter 32: The Masquerade Rave**

The next morning, the whole Safehouse was abuzz with excitement. A large crowd had gathered in the open square, eager to bear witness to the induction ceremony that was taking place among the Mermaid League. Six individuals stood at the center, honored to take part in what they will soon become.

Atem, Jonouchi, Kaiba, Honda, Mai and Pegasus all had their right hands raised, Yugi spoke through a microphone. "Do you swear to stand up for the good people of Kyoki, and to provide them with the gift of hope in any way you can?"

"We swear." Was the reply.

"Do you swear to oppose tyranny and oppression in all its forms?"

"We swear."

"Do you swear to restore the true meaning of the Great Chain-to pursue your dreams, to uphold freedom, and to help others do the same?"

"We swear."

Yugi smiled in satisfaction. "The mermaid brooches, please." He stated to Varon. He and Raphael stepped forward with a tray containing six silver brooches, each one a badge worn by a full-fledged Mermaid Agent… a badge of honor. One by one, Raphael picked up a brooch and fastened it to the shirt or jacket of the League's newest members. When he fastened to last brooch on Atem's tank top, the muscular soldier smiled at him.

"Glad you could join us Atem." He stated. "You earned it."

Atem smirked, filling with pride as Yugi stepped forward. "All of you…" he stated, "Welcome to the League." The Prince of Kyoki faced the audience. "I am proud to present to you our newest Mermaid Agents!" The crowd erupted into cheers, happy to see that a new set of heroes had stepped up to join the cause.

Yet even amidst the celebration, Atem couldn't seem to enjoy the moment. When he thought no one was looking, he crept away into the shadows. But Jonouchi noticed his troubled friend. Right then, Shizuka came up and hugged her brother. "Oh Jonouchi!" she cried joyfully, "You made me so proud!"

"Yeah, we're finally official Mermaid Agents!" Honda added, "And what better way to celebrate this milestone than to party at the annual masquerade rave! C'mon Jonouchi! Ryuzaki just finished our masks, so let's go get them!"

"Um… could you excuse me for a minute?" Jonouchi asked, "I need to have another pep talk with Atem."

"No problem." Yugi replied.

"We'll be waiting for you." Mai stated. And with that, Jonouchi left his friends to follow the Bolt wielder. Finally he found him seated in the corner of an alleyway. Atem rubbed his head, still unable to believe the revelation concerning him.

"What's wrong Atem?" Jonouchi asked. "Still thinking about what Ishizu said to us?"

"…Yes." Atem replied. "But even after that, I still can't believe it. To think… we were going to travel the world in order to find the keys to my past, when all this time, the keys to my past are right here! In Kyoki!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Stated Jonouchi, and he smiled. "I was looking forward to having a lot of adventures with you, and what do you know! My dream came true, though not in the way we expected!" The two friends chuckled a bit at the joke, before the sandy blonde grew serious again. "But really, I'm just as surprised as you are. I would have never imagined that this nightmare city we're trapped in was your hometown. But at least now we know a bit more about the keys to your past—and where to find them."

**Atem and Jonouchi continued to stare at the High Priestess in utter shock. "No way!" the sandy blonde gasped, "Are you saying that my friend was once a Kyoki citizen?"**

"**More or less." Ishizu answered.**

**The Bolt wielder was shaking, taking in all the information. "My family… my real family… they never left this city! And my parents… members of the Kyoki Council…! Everything that's happened to me since I came here… the visions I couldn't remember, the strange feeling that certain places and people seem familiar to me… and even the fact that I can activate the switch of the main bathyspheres… it's all starting to make sense!"**

"**W-wait! So you can activate the main bathyspheres simply by being a blood relative to one or two of those Kyoki Council guys?" Jonouchi asked.**

"**It seems like it." Atem reasoned. "Maybe this is what Yugi was talking about… when he said that the genetic keys to the bathyspheres are unreliable."**

"**This is crazy!" Jonouchi stated.**

"**Ishizu," Atem pleaded, "If you can, please tell me the location of my real family, especially my parents. If any of them are still alive, I would like to meet them and get to know them better. And in doing so, I might find out more about myself."**

**Ishizu replied calmly, "You are already on your way. And once you come face to face with them, all of the memories of your past will return. As to the exact location of your real parents and their current state, I cannot tell you. But there is one person in the entire city who ****can****."**

"**Really?" Atem gasped, "Who is it?"**

"**The person who holds the keys to your past is the very same person you and your companions seek to slay."**

**The Bolt wielder glared as he realized exactly who she was talking about. "****Mutou.****"**

"Now that I think about it, it would make sense that Mutou would know something about my parents." Atem reasoned, "After all, they did work for him."

"So what do you think we should do?" Jonouchi asked.

The Bolt wielder lifted his head to face his friend with a look of determination. "We continue with our mission. Then when we reach him, I'll confront him about my parents. I'm certain that they have turned against him, and although I don't know what happened I'm sure he did something terrible to them."

"Well, we'll put that plan to action later tonight." Jonouchi stated, "Right now, we've got a party to go to!"

Atem smiled, and rose up from his spot. "You're right Jonouchi. After all, there are a lot of good things about my home that make it worth enjoying."

* * *

In the dance hall, the music was booming louder than ever before. Colorful lights gave the whole area a club-like atmosphere, even though it was mid-afternoon on the outside. There were huge crowds all wearing splicer face masks. And thanks to the craftsmanship of Ryuzaki, the Mermaid League and their guests of honor were no exception. The masks were held by leather straps like so many others, but each one of them was customized to mimic a splicer version each Agents' face. Jonouchi's mask was the exact replica of the sample he saw on the computer last night.

"Woo-OO!" Jonouchi stated, admiring the custom mask he wore on his face, "Ryuzaki sure got some great attention to detail! I kinda feel like a zombie with this thing on… maybe when I get back to the surface, I could wear this for this summer's Bon festival! Or maybe for Halloween during our extended trip to America!"

"You're not allowed to keep the masks Jonouchi." Honda reminded the sandy blonde, much to the latter's annoyance, "When the rave is done they'll all be donated to the Benzaiten Art Gallery and put on display." The telekinesis wielder had a mask that made his face look like a mass of melting flesh layered like oversized ripples of the right side of his face.

"Then maybe they could make replicas that we can keep, can't they?" Jonouchi asked.

"If you ask them nicely, they can." Mai replied, smirking from behind her mask. It took the appearance of being bruised, with a sagging tumor under the left eye, making the opening sag below the eyeball. To add to the effect, Mai had put on one milky white contact on her right eye, giving the illusion that it was blind when it really wasn't.

Anzu's 'splicer face' mask was more like a mess of stitches, pulling the flesh in ways that would have mocked the beauty of her true face, especially the stitch that sealed the large slit on the right side of her mouth. "Personally, I'd be more than happy to donate this mask to the art gallery." She stated as she tried to adjust her mask. "It doesn't fit easily."

Atem couldn't help but chuckle quietly in agreement. He and Yugi had identical masks with similar traits: large knobby veins all over the face, swollen lips and an eye hole large enough to expose half the cheekbone under the eyeball. Atem's mask had an eye patch covering the left eye, while Yugi's had a patch covering the right. "Well of course it's not easy." Yugi stated, "Parts of mask are asymmetrical."

"Don't remind me of that surgical Leadhead splicer you killed four days ago." Kaiba muttered. The mask he wore was truly a monstrosity, as the eye hole on the right side had shrunk over the socket—and the mouth had no lips, only a set of pink gums with missing teeth.

"Where's Shizuka, by the way?" Honda asked.

"She's out doing some oil painting at one of the nearby stalls." Jonouchi replied, "She doesn't have a mask to take part in the dance party, you know."

"That's too bad." Honda stated. "I was looking forward to dancing with her."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Jonouchi barked.

"All right you two, knock it off!" Nathaniel scolded, dragging Jonouchi to the dance floor, "The rave is about to start!"

"What up y'all!" Shouted the DJ, to which the crowd responded in excited cheers. "First things first: I would like to give a shout out to our newest Mermaid Agents! You have our thanks for all the great deeds you have performed for us so far! We welcome you to the Mermaid League with open arms, and we wish you the best of luck in finding the legendary Ace in the Hole and whooping Ryu Mutou's ass!" This was followed by an enthusiastic round of applause. "And secondly, we would like to wish Yugi Mutou a very Happy Sixteenth Birthday, even though it's five days late! This rave is in your honor! And now with that out of the way… LET'S GET THE PARTY STARTED!" And with that, the splicer themed Masquerade Rave had officially begun. Under flashing lights, the crowds rocked the dance floor to the heavy beat of the music, having a great time. Kaiba, however, was just standing there at the corner.

"Hey Kaiba!" Amelda shouted from the crowd, "Come on over and join us!"

"… I'm not in the mood for dancing." Kaiba stated bluntly.

"Aw c'mon mate!" Varon pleaded, grabbing the Splicer Killer by the arm, "Lighten up! You'll be missing out on the party! Now get to it!"

"I'm not-" Kaiba tried to complain, but the Aussie cut him off as he dragged him to the dance floor.

"Trust me! It'll be fun!" So with a sigh, Kaiba reluctantly followed the other Agents to the dance floor. Needless to say, the music had a beat that actually pleased the Splicer Killer, and he ended up surprising himself by losing himself to the dance. And he proved to be an excellent dancer too.

Meanwhile, Atem took a glance at his doppelganger leaning by the bar and smirked mischievously, although it could not be seen from behind the mask. Anzu was already on the dance floor, her movements as graceful as a nimble dolphin. His heart fluttered at the sight of her, and through his telepathy he could sense that it had the same effect for Yugi. And having been set up by the Prince of Kyoki to go on a date with the diplomatic protector, the Bolt wielder decided that this was the best time to return the favor. He stepped toward his doppelganger. "She's quite a beauty, isn't she?"

"Who is?" Yugi asked in confusion.

"Isn't it obvious?" Atem replied, pointing to Anzu. Upon seeing the diplomatic protector on the dance floor, Yugi blushed furiously from behind the mask.

"Well, uh, yeah…" Yugi stammered, "She is pretty g-gorgeous."

Atem chuckled and winked at his doppelganger. "Why don't you go out and join her? You know you want to!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Yugi blurted out, "She'd much rather dance with you! Why don't you join her?!"

"Well, you're the one that has more charm!" Atem replied, "Plus, as far as I know, you've known her for much longer than I have!"

"You got more confidence!" Yugi retorted.

"Look, I've already got a chance to go on a date with her back in the Eden Safehouse!" Atem responded, "Now it's your turn! Besides, she loves you more!"

"No, she loves you more!"

"No, you more!"

"You more!"

"You more!"

"YOU MORE!"

"YOU MORE!"

"_**YOU MORE!**_"

"_**YOU MORE!**_"

"AH SHUT UP YOU TWO!" Oscar exclaimed, grabbing hold of the bickering pair, "YOU CAN BOTH DANCE WITH ANZU!" And with that, the drummer tossed Atem and Yugi straight to the dance floor. Atem crashed unceremoniously to the ground—but it was Yugi that collided with the diplomatic protector. The two of them stared at one another, both thankful that their masks were hiding their pink cheeks.

"Uh, hi!" Yugi stated sheepishly.

"Hi Yugi." Anzu replied. "Are you… having a good time?"

"Y-yeah…" Yugi shuffled his feet, already feeling a bit nervous. "So uh… do you mind if I… join you with this dance?"

"Oh, sure!" Anzu replied, "Don't mind at all." And so, Anzu and Yugi both began to dance. As the beat became stronger, they became much bolder in their movements. All the while, their hearts were beating with excitement towards each other.

Meanwhile, Jonouchi was watching his friends' antics at the dance floor from the bar, when he glanced to the side—and saw Mai sitting down by him. "Hey Hon." Mai greeted.

"Oh, hey Mai." Jonouchi replied.

"Do you mind if we have a chat?" Mai asked, "Somewhere private?"

Surprised, the sandy blonde nevertheless answered, "…Sure! Where are we going?"

"Follow me." Mai stated, "It's not far from here."

* * *

As the door swung open, Jonouchi couldn't help but stare in awe. Right in front of him was a room filled with comfortable furniture and gentle lights. A large window revealed a view of the undersea world outside, making the interior seem dim in comparison. He could even smell the scent of certain flowers… was it… roses? Jasmine? He couldn't tell. But not much was said between the two before Mai carefully shut the door. Jonouchi took it as his cue to speak up. "All right Mai, what is it you want to talk about?" At first, there was no answer as the violet-eyed shutterbug took of her splicer face mask. "Uh, Mai?" Jonouchi asked again, and he was greeted with a grateful smile.

"Jonouchi," she stated, "I… I don't know how to thank you enough. You've done so much for the citizens of Kyoki… and for me."

"Huh?" Jonouchi queried, taking off his mask, "What do you mean?"

Mai had a look of thoughtfulness in her eyes. "In spite of spending a great deal in the spotlight, I often felt lonely. Sure I got a lot of admiration from the citizens who visit the casinos of Fort Frolic, but I never made anything more than acquaintances as a child. My mother was the only person with whom I really felt close to. When I grew up I became a card dealer in those casinos. The lecherous rich men who played at my tables did nothing to ease my loneliness. In fact they made it worse. As a result, I often put myself at a distance, made a wall over my heart. So when my mother got killed at the start of the First Kyoki War, I felt as though my whole world came crashing down. I was scared, and I felt pathetic like never before." The tears of joy began to flow down her cheeks then. "But thanks to you, I don't feel so lonely and pathetic anymore. Ever since you rescued me from Dr. Steinman, you've opened up many possibilities for me."

Jonouchi gave a gentle smile. "Thanks Mai. I never realized that you feel that way about me. But I'm a bit curious. Considering that you're an excellent fighter, how did you manage to get into the clutches of Dr. Steinman in the first place?"

"I've heard of that surgeon's recent atrocities in the other Safehouses, and even met a few of his victims who survived. I couldn't stand the thought of that monster destroying the lives of women like me all for the sake of his twisted views of so-called 'beauty'. So I set out to kill the beast myself. Needless to say, I wasn't as fully prepared to confront him as I thought I was. If it wasn't for you coming along in the nick of time, I would either be horribly disfigured… or, most likely, dead." The joy in Mai's smile seemed to grow much brighter in the sandy blonde's eyes. "Now, whenever I think of you Jonouchi, I feel like I can take on the world!"

Jonouchi let out a small hearty chuckle. "You know, I just realized that I feel the exact same thing. In spite of all the horrors I've encountered in this place, there are a lot of good things about it that's worth saving. But my favorite part about coming to Kyoki… is meeting you."

The violet-eyed shutterbug blushed upon hearing those words. "Really?"

"Really!" Jonouchi replied, "And you have no idea Mai! You have no idea how much I love you!" The moment he saw Mai's eyes widen in surprise, the sandy blonde suddenly gasped in shock. "Wait! Did I say that out loud? Oh shit…!"

"… Jonouchi!" Mai gasped, barely in a whisper, "Is that true…?"

Feeling rather defeated, Jonouchi sighed. "Yes Mai." He confessed, "I love you." Now the ball was on her court, to say the least, and Jonouchi couldn't help but feel worried. After what seemed like an eternity, the violet eyed shutterbug finally spoke.

"Heh, you know what I have to say about that?" she stepped forward and took hold of the sandy blonde's hands. There was a gentle shine in her eyes, and it was not just from the reflected lights from the room. "Right back at you."

Now it was Jonouchi's turn to be surprised. In all his life, he never dreamed that he would have a moment like this in a place like Kyoki! "Whoa! Y-you're… you're not just saying that, are you?"

"Of course not." Mai replied, placing a hand on his cheek, "In fact, that's the reason why I brought you here to this lounge."

Jonouchi's felt as though his heart could burst with happiness right then and there. But then the meaning behind Mai's words began to sink in. "That's… that's wonderful! But Mai, are you sure you want to go through with this? Take it to the next level, I mean?"

"If you feel like we're rushing too fast, I can wait." Mai replied with a smile. "Just let me know when you're ready."

Jonouchi laughed, "Well, I'm ready when you are!" He embraced his new girlfriend by the waist, and they pressed their foreheads together. "After all, this is Kyoki!" And at that moment, their lips met at last in a very passionate kiss. The parted momentarily to take a breath, them locked lips again, drinking in each other's essence. The pair soon began swaying in a rocking motion like seaweed, and Jonouchi began to pull down Mai's vest. Soon, they both sank down onto the plush cushion of the nearby day bed. In the minutes that followed, the pair of intertwined lovers could be seen as silhouettes in a watery background, their nearly exposed bodies lashing with wave-like movements. And all the while, the beat of the dance music pounded to the rhythm of their ever speeding heartbeats…

* * *

It was moments like this that just makes everything feel so magical. Crowds of dancers had their arms raised up, their bodies rocking in graceful freeform movements, the cares of their everyday hardships forgotten, if only for a moment. With the splicer masks upon the faces of the celebrants, it was simultaneously a gruesome and beautiful spectacle. Honda and Oscar even tried to show off some breakdancing, much to the delight of many spectators. All the while, Yugi and Anzu were enjoying moment, their steps in excellent coordination. As Atem watched the pair, he found that it was getting harder and harder to just stay back. At the start of the current fast paced song, he could resist it no longer. For a moment, time seemed to slow down as the Bolt wielder stepped toward Anzu and Yugi. And once he was close enough, his body began to sway along with theirs, his feet jumping and stomping to the rhythm. For Anzu, this was the crowning moment of ecstasy, for truthfully, she felt that her heart belonged to both Atem and Yugi, and thus she was unable to decide between the two of them. And she didn't even care.

What mattered to all three of them, and to everyone around them… was the here and now.

* * *

Although the Masquerade Rave was to last into the wee hours of the night, it was soon time for the Mermaid Agents to prepare for the journey ahead. If they were even allowed to go up to the surface, it would most likely have been sunset by the time they finally left the dance hall. Everyone had given away their masks and said their goodbyes to a proud Ryuzaki, and now they and Shizuka were sitting at the table at the Maneki Neko. As of that moment, Nathaniel, the computer wizard of the Mermaid League, was just adding the finishing touches to the upgrade that was promised for Blossom. With the final chip in place, he put the lid back on and screwed it tight. "There we go!" He stated, turning Blossom back on, "She's now up to date!"

"Oh Nathaniel Boy!" Pegasus sighed gratefully, "You don't know how much that means to me!" Blossom hugged her master by the wrist.

"Good Morning!" she squeaked. "I don't see cheese and crackers anymore!"

"All right!" Stephen cheered, "Maybe now we can see that data concerning to what's inside that escape sub!"

"Right." Raphael agreed, "We still don't know exactly what—or who—was inside that thing."

"Well wait no more my friends!" Pegasus announced and he plugged the doll to a monitor so that an image could be seen. "Blossom, bring up the submarine data taken prior to the explosion."

"Okie-Dokie!" Blossom piped up, and she went into concentration mode as the data was loaded up on screen. Everyone held their breaths as images began to appear onscreen. "TADA! I'm done!" With the data was finally loaded, they Agents saw the full interior of the sub… and nothing more.

"Thank God!" Jonouchi sighed in relief, "That sub was actually empty!" Atem smiled likewise, glad that there was actually no one that got hurt.

"And I got a feeling Raiden knows that it's empty too. Of course, I highly doubt Ryu Mutou was thinking the same thing." Honda noted.

"Are you saying that Raiden actually wanted Mutou to destroy that sub?" Mai asked, "Is that why he claimed his 'family' was in there?"

"If that's the case, then it might not be the only reason." Atem stated, "Remember, we actually believed him when he said he even had a family. And three days ago, Jonouchi and I wanted to leave Kyoki as soon as possible. Raiden must have seen something in us that was instrumental to Mutou's undoing, and therefore wanted us to stay and fight."

"Well, in a sense, we're all glad he stopped you from leaving!" Anzu stated.

"Me too." Atem replied, "Because to tell you the truth, Jonouchi and I… have grown to love the people who live here. And we want to help them in the best way we can!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Kaiba stated, "Let's head out to Fort Frolic and find the Ace in the Hole already!"

"Right!" Yugi agreed.

"Sadly, I won't be able to join you in this endeavor this time." Raphael admitted, "And neither will Varon and Amelda. Luckily for you, the members of Spliced will travel with you from here on out." The members of said rock band all smiled, more than eager to set out on the streets to fight bad guys.

"That's right!" Varon added, "And we'll also keep in touch! Give us a call when you're in need of some assistance!"

"Thanks Varon." Jonouchi replied.

Shizuka decided to speak up then, and took a hold of her big brother's hand. "Be careful Jonouchi. I'll be waiting for you in one of the Safehouses."

"Don't worry Shizuka, I will." Jonouchi reassured.

"Well, now that everyone is ready, I think it's about time to head on out." Pegasus reasoned, "Now if you would just follow me, I'll show you the entrance to our latest destination." With that, the Agents nodded in agreement and stood up from their seats, following the Grand Master of the Arts to where the legendary Ace in the Hole might reside.

Note: In the next chapter of Plasmashock, the adventure in Fort Frolic begins! In their search for the legendary Ace in the Hole, our heroes find themselves coming face to face with a former disciple of Pegasus. What does he want of them? One thing is for certain though: he won't let the heroes leave until the task is completed! Until Next Time!


	33. Chapter 33

Note: Yeah, I'm back on a roll with this one my friends! And my brother doing excellent at helping me out again! Hopefully this will go on for the rest of this fic and for other fics in the future! I hope Master Rainwalker is reading this now! Anyway, the Fort Frolic adventure is about to begin! Very soon, they'll meet up with a particularly creepy fellow. Fans of Bioshock would know who that is, but they'll be surprised as to how I changed him for the modern era! I also changed the former disciples of Cohen for the modern era as well, along with the fate of his first victim. To me, a piano rigged with dynamite won't be enough. In either case, I hope you enjoy my latest chapter!

**Chapter 33: Fort Frolic**

The metal doors slid open. Once more the scent of blood and decay wafted in the noses of the twelve approaching Mermaid Agents. For Atem, such a transition had now become something that was to be expected after a stay in the Safehouses. That still doesn't mean he had to like it though. "All right everyone, we're about to enter enemy territory pretty soon." Yugi stated to his fellow Agents, "Time to hide your Mermaid Brooches." The others nodded in understanding and adjusted their clothing so that their brooches were out of sight. Jonouchi hid his by pinning it on the inside of his pocket, while Atem pinned his into the fold of his jacket in the same way as his doppelganger.

Once all the brooches were safely hidden, those elemental Plasmunds who haven't reactivated their plasmids quick did just that. Oscar scanned the Bolt-infused veins exposed on his skin. "I wish the Bolt plasmid would come in different colors." He mused "I mean, I've always envisioned lightning bolts in a bright shade of gold. But that's just me."

"You didn't forget your two maces, did you?" Stephen asked, "After all, the splicers around here and Hephaestus are stronger than those in other parts of the city." The lead guitarist hefted the greataxe slung on his back, its head shaped like a pair of dragons breathing out huge fire-like blades. "That why I bring my axe with me."

"No worries Dude." Oscar replied, "I got 'em."

Emily chuckled. "I'm still amazed that you're actually strong enough to lift that thing Stephen."

"Are you kidding me?" Stephen barked, "My axe is as light as a feather!"

"Kinda hard to believe, seeing how huge it is…" Jonouchi noted with a sweatdrop.

"Well your sword is no different." Honda replied.

"All right everyone, settle down." Nathaniel stated, the ice of the Blizzard plasmid glistening on his skin. "You can make weapon comparisons later. Right now we need to get started on finding the one weapon that matters most. And if that weapon really exists, we need to have it in our possession before we go to Hephaestus."

"Agreed." Atem replied, "Let's go." The Agents stepped through the door and soon found themselves staring at a grand hallway. The halls were lit up with hues of a magenta color, and dotted with a mix of vintage art and modern-day movie posters. And there appeared to be TV screens hanging up on top, which for some strange reason appeared to have been turned off. The moment some stones came crumbling down to the ground, Pegasus could no longer hide his anguish.

"Oh, look at what has become of this beautiful place!" he sighed sadly. "It was oh, so perfect! But now… it stings my eye like **splinters**!"

Atem stared at the dank hall and quietly agreed. _And to think that this place was a part of my home._ He thought to himself. Of course, he had since learned by this time to control his telepathic powers, including when to block it so Yugi wouldn't overhear. That was how he made sure the Prince of Kyoki wasn't listening in on his private conversations with Jonouchi during their stay in the Benzaiten Safehouse. In fact, his childhood friend was the only one who knew about his personal ties to Kyoki, and the yet unknown birth family that lived here. No one else knew, not even Yugi. And the Bolt wielder certainly didn't feel ready to tell them… not yet at least. He let out a thoughtful sigh. _If they knew all the things that I know thus far, they would definitely go in shock!_

Suddenly, a familiar noise interrupted his train of thought. He immediately realized that it was his Video Phone emitting its signal. He lifted it up so his friends could see, and immediately, Raiden appeared onscreen. "It about time you answered!" the guide stated in frustration, "I thought you were never gonna get out of that Safehouse! You haven't forgotten about Mutou, have you?"

"No Raiden." Atem answered, "We haven't."

"That's good. Because I want to remind you that you're almost there Kid! The bathysphere that will take you to Hephaestus is right across this hall."

"Thanks for pointing that out." Yugi stated, "We'll keep that in mind. Right now, though, we need to search Fort Frolic and find the Ace in the Hole."

"Oh… well, since you brought that up, I was going to tell you about that weapon of legend."

The League leader's eyes widened in amazement. "You mean you found some information?!" he asked.

"Sure did." answered Raiden, "I haven't gotten anything about what kind of weapon it is or what it looks like, but I know this for certain: the legendary Ace in the Hole is real!" The other Mermaid Agents gasped at this revelation.

"No way! The Ace in the Hole actually exists?!" Honda blurted in surprise.

"You serious, Raiden?!" Jonouchi asked.

"Very serious." Raiden replied.

"Then this is all the more reason to find it!" Yugi declared to his friends, "Let's hurry and search the place!"

"Actually Yugi," Raiden stated, "There's no need to search Fort Frolic. The Ace in the Hole might come to you."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yugi asked, perplexed.

"It'll become clear to you once your reach your father." Raiden answered, "In the meantime, you'll need to leave to Hephaestus as soon as possible. Ever since your friend Pegasus J. Crawford had fled this place, Mutou had handed the keys to Fort Frolic to this ballroom Goth called Sander Cohen. Some say he's an artist, but like you, I say he's a total nutcase! Believe me, I've seen lots of psychos around here, but Cohen? He beats them all! So if I were you, I'd better get out of here while the getting's good." And with that, Raiden ended his call.

"So what should we do guys?" Anzu asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question." Coral admitted.

"I must confess," Nathaniel stated, "That statement Raiden told us, about the Ace in the Hole coming to us? If that isn't a riddle, I don't know what is!"

"I suppose it's best that we head to the bathysphere to figure it out." Yugi declared.

"Good call, Hon." Mai agreed. So the Agents proceeded down the hall toward next room over.

"I cannot believe this!" Pegasus moaned, "Cohen's actually put in charge of Fort Frolic?! He's completely unfit for this position! No wonder this place is falling to pieces!"

"Yeah! What a meanie!" Blossom squeaked. "I hope a Big Daddy falls on him and makes him go 'squish'!" It wasn't long before they reached the room on the other side. At the very end of that short hall, a bathysphere bobbed up and down, its metal door wide open and waiting for its passengers.

"Well, let get this over with." Kaiba muttered. "Anybody want to get in first?"

"I'll do it." Atem suggested. With that, the Bolt wielder stepped ahead of the team. He had just made his approach toward the bathysphere, when suddenly, the door slammed shut! "What the hell?!" But everyone's shock became even greater when the bathysphere sank down without them!

"Hey! Our ride's leaving without us!" Stephen exclaimed.

"What's going on?!" Jonouchi shouted.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS?!" Pegasus roared in anger. In mere seconds the bathysphere was gone and the gates quickly shut tight. Mai looked up at the scenery above them.

"Uh, guys?" she stated, "You might want to look at this!" And the others looked. Sweeping hot pink curtains glided forth, shimmering in the violet lighting. Before long, what looked like white paper mache sculptures descended upon the walls around them. The ones on the ground were of people posed in awe, while the four figures hanging in midair were like circus dancers, each hanging rather gracefully on a black wire. And in the center was a giant rabbit mask. In between the gaps, huge TV screens seemed to float against the background of the curtain.

"Oh man," Emily murmured, "This is getting too weird!"

"Yeah, what'll they think of next?" Oscar stated, "A performance on the flying trapeze?" Right at that moment though, Atem's Video phone suddenly started to give off static.

Looking down at his Phone, Atem shouted, "Raiden?! Raiden, what's happening? RAIDEN?!" When the snow and the static finally cleared, though, the face on the screen was pretty unfamiliar to him. It was hidden behind a golden bunny mask, but he could see long dark hair hanging loosely on a tuxedo, and below the mask were a pair of black lips against pale white skin. The figure, which was apparently a man, wiped his brow and spoke in a husky voice.

"Ah, much better! _Sigh_… Every day, it's always the same thing. Raiden and Mutou…" Soon the voice seemed to boom over the whole room like a movie theater. "Raiden and Mutou! Bickering over the airwaves! Blah, blah, blaaaaah, blah, blah-dee, blah-blah!" One by one the big screens turned on, revealing the same figure as he continued his speech. "You know, I think it's about time you find something good on TV! After all, the artist has a very sacred mission: to seduce the eyes and ears… and to bring joy to the soul! So say goodbye to those windbags, and hello… to a night with-"

"SANDER COHEN! YOU _SCOUNDREL_!" Pegasus bellowed, recognizing the figure on the screen. "You destroyed the haven of the artists in my absence! I never thought you would actually sink this low!"

The man, Cohen, only chuckled in response. "Well, now… It's been three years since I've seen any signs of real life down here. But who would have thought that the former Grand Master of the Arts would be among them! Long time no see, 'Master'!"

"Tch! As disrespectful as always!" Pegasus growled. "And in case you have forgotten, I'm still the Grand Master of the Arts!"

"Looks like you've been living under a seashell since your departure six years before." Cohen mocked, "Fort Frolic is mine now! And if you think I'm going to hand the keys back to you, then you are sorely mistaken! But enough of that, if you want me to reopen the bathysphere, come over to the entryway. All of you!"

Atem growled. "I guess we have no choice."

One the Mermaid Agents returned to the entry hall, Cohen reappeared onscreen. "And now Ladies and Gentlemen, time for the starting lineup!" The lights dimmed, and four spotlights flashed on. The spotlights moved back and forth, until at last, each one of them landed on four individuals: Mai, Jonouchi, Kaiba and Atem! "You may not have known this, but I've decided to pay a visit to that Benzaiten Safehouse last night, and I've been watching you four rocking it out on the Silver Stage! Clearly, you seem promising enough, but how will you handle this stage? Are you just a bunch of sour grapes? Or maybe, just maybe… are you finally something sweet? Let's start round one with you, young lady!" Mai barely had time to gasp in shock, before a familiar screaming noise reached the ears of the Agents.

"EEEEK! WARNING! WARNING! INCOMING SPLICERS!" Blossom cried in horror, once more hiding behind her master's shoulder. And it didn't take long for a certain type of splicer to show up in the tattered remains of glitz and glamour. Two of them, to be precise.

"Spider splicers!" Mai shouted, taking out her crossbow. Quickly, she fired at one of them, but the common spider splicer intercepted the bolt with her sickle.

"I came here to be a star!" the splicer shrieked, "It's not too late, NOT TOO LATE!" With that, the splicer and her partner leapt down to the ground and charged toward the violet eyed shutterbug.

"I don't think so!" Jonouchi shouted, and with a swing of his sword, he chopped of the arm of the spider splicer male. Angered at this turn of evens, the sandy blonde shouted to his girlfriend, "Mai! Get 'em while they're distracted!"

"Right!" Mai replied, going into Overdrive, "PLASMA HURRICANE!" The strong winds of the Plasma Hurricane were more than a match for the two spider splicers, and they were swept high into the air, eventually crashing into one of the chandeliers and impaling themselves in the process.

"Heh, not bad!" Cohen stated with a smirk, "Let's take it up a notch for round two. And it's your turn, little swordsman!" The spotlight shone on Jonouchi as the Goth artist spoke, and soon four more spider splicers came into view. A couple of them shot themselves toward the sandy blonde. They were so quick, in fact, that he hardly had the time to react, and one managed to slash him in his right arm and the other on the chest.

"JONOUCHI!" Emily shouted.

"Hang in there, Man!" Stephen exclaimed, readying his axe. The guitarist rushed forward and decapitated a splicer with one stroke. Emily drew her weapon, a rapier, and stabbed another in the stomach.

Oscar took out two spiked maces. "No one messes up my friend and gets away with it! TIME FOR A LITTLE DRUM SOLO!" True to his word, the drummer stuck the third splicer repeatedly, slamming the maces like his opponent was a drum before finishing with a hard head-butt. Jonouchi rose up in spite of the pain, glaring with determination.

"Thanks guys." He stated, "Now let's fry those chickens!" He shot out his hand, unleashing the fireball of his Blaze plasmid and setting all four splicers alight. Three of them were finished off easily, but the sandy blonde did the honors of cleaving the fourth one in two with his sword.

"Well done!" Cohen complimented, "You must have studied well. All right, on to round three with our legendary Splicer Killer: Seto Kaiba Suchong! Let's make this slightly more difficult, shall we?" As if on cue, four more spider splicers crawled to view on the ceiling—all of them brown recluses! As they made their descent to the ground, Kaiba activated the power of his Blizzard plasmid to freeze one of them. The icy body of the frozen recluse shattered on impact.

As the other three splicers landed and readied their arm blades, the Splicer Killer willed the machines on his gauntlets to morph into blades. "You think you're so tough, with swords in place of your arms!" he taunted, "Well, two can play at that game!" Apparently, the splicers either weren't listening to the insult or they were completely pissed, because one of them lunged toward him in an attempt to bite him. He missed, for Kaiba had bounded toward the ceiling and crawled to a more advantageous position. "C'mon! You can do better than that!" Angered at his mimicking of their movements, the brown recluses leaped back onto the ceiling to chase after him. Nathaniel took this as an opportunity to divide the splicers, and used his Blizzard to freeze the brown recluse that was lagging behind. The splicer in front of it screamed in fury and leapt toward the vocalist, but he was ready. Thrusting what appeared to be a trident with a pearly sheen, he skewered the enemy while the latter was in midair and then tossed the corpse to the side.

"I'll take care of that one!" Honda declared, and shot the other still-frozen splicer with his upgraded pistol. The splicer shattered on impact. Meanwhile, the last brown recluse was closing in on the Splicer Killer, and with one arm blade secured so he wouldn't fall, he swiped at him with the other blade. Kaiba let out a cry of pain as the blade struck his left thigh, stopping him in his tracks. But suddenly he thrust his blade boots deeper into the surface, the flipped himself backward, stabbing his enemy in the back with both gauntlet blades.

"You've royally pissed me off now!" Gracefully, he swung himself over the splicer and flipped himself in a way that helped him toss the splicer into an old fashioned jukebox. The brown recluse was knocked dead on impact.

"Impressive!" Cohen called out, "But I expect nothing less from a living legend! The final round has come, and you… you who look like Kyoki's prince… the time has come to show your talent!" The final wave of splicers made their approach, consisting of five black widows who did not hesitate to rush over toward Atem. Not wanting to go through a 'repeat performance' of his close encounter back in Dragon King's Bounty, Atem zapped one of them with his bolt plasmid.

"Take that, bitches!" Anzu shouted, shooting her dart gun. Three of the black widows, began to stagger with every direct hit.

"How about a little seven card spread?!" Yugi roared, and threw his bladed cards, striking all five splicers at once and killing at least one. The largest black widow leaped up to pounce on the Prince of Kyoki, her leg blades and sickles gleaming wickedly in their owner's thirst for blood.

"LOOK OUT!" Coral exclaimed, and sliced the attacking splicer with a swipe of her own dagger.

"Nice work Coral!" Yugi complimented.

"T-thanks." Coral stuttered somewhat timidly.

"Atem!" Jonouchi shouted to his childhood friend, "I think this is the time to give 'em a little shock!"

"My thoughts exactly!" Atem replied, allowing the power of his Bolt plasmid to build up in his hands. "PLASMA BOLT!" With the Overdrive Ability unleashed, he struck the remaining three black widows head-on.

"AND STAY DOWN!" Pegasus bellowed, firing his machine gun at the remaining enemies that were not instantly slain by the electricity. Finally, the dust settled and Cohen spoke.

"Ah YES! I can smell the spice among the likes of you! I've waited so long for something delicious to come along into my neck of the woods… but all that pass by are the same old idiots… _**It's the same old story, same old song and dance, my friend!**_" He chuckled at his reference to Aerosmith before shaking his head. "Oh, where are my manners?!" He lifted his head and bowed to the Mermaid Agents, "Come on in! I, Sander Cohen, await you at the Fleet Hall!" The TV monitor flickered to a standby signal with a mask upon its center.

"Apparently, my former disciple seems to have taken a liking to you for some reason." Pegasus noted. "You might as well follow me to Fleet Hall if you want to find out why." The others nodded in agreement.

* * *

It was dark when the Mermaid Agents entered the Fleet Hall Atrium, and it was so quiet that they could hear the sound of the own footsteps. But it was not to stay that way for long, as Cohen reappeared on another monitor. "So happy for all of you to come!" he stated, "It is my honor to welcome you to Kyoki's haven for the artist!" The room buzzed with electricity charging up as piece by piece, the lights came on, illuminating the whole area. "WELCOME TO FORT FROLIC! Or in your case, Pegasus… welcome back!" It was only then that everyone got a good look at their surroundings. It was a post-apocalyptic version of the Benzaiten Safehouse, with neon signs and sophisticated décor standing out amid rust and crumbling stone. Some of the neon light were flickering on and off in a pattern best described as erratic, as if it were on the verge of losing power.

"Oh, this is terrible!" Coral sighed mournfully.

"That's definitely not the Fort Frolic I used to know." Stephen stated likewise. As Atem stared at the scene in front of him, his head was once more struck with a familiar pain. He clutched it in his left hand and soon the images came. He saw the same scenery, but it was vibrant and more alive. Glorious, in fact. Once again, however, the image faded. And he couldn't remember a single detail of that vision.

_Atem?_ Yugi asked telepathically, _Is something wrong?_

_I-it's nothing Yugi._ Atem quickly replied.

_Are you sure about that? You looked like you were about to faint!_

_Really, I'm fine!_

_Well, okay… I'll take your word for it, at least for now. Just remember, if there's something wrong, don't hesitate to tell me._

_Thank you Yugi._

"Oh, and before I forget, there's no need to thank me for jamming the signals of those pricks Raiden and Mutou." Cohen stated, "Let them have their little smack talk. The artist… ah, the artist knows that there is richer soil to till, and trees that bear fruit of higher quality! For example, that little battle I set you up on? I was testing you little butterflies… like I test all my disciples." The image on the TV shifted to a sea of swirling stars. "Some, like you, shine like galaxies far, far away!" The image shifted again to show a dried up butterfly, tangled in spidersilk. "Others? Well… others just shrivel up, like butterflies on a spider's web." After that the Goth artist's face reappeared. "Come now, onto the stage of the main theatre! And take those earplugs with you; you're gonna need them."

"Uh oh…" Stephen muttered as he took the earplug in question off the atrium stage, "I guess you know what that means!"

"Apparently, I don't." Honda stated.

"Yeah, me neither." Jonouchi agreed. "You mind telling us?"

"When a rock concert is going on, the amplifier is set to a loud volume so that the whole audience can hear the performance." Nathaniel explained. "Somehow I have a bad feeling that our little 'friend' here has the amps set to higher than 11."

"Okay." Jonouchi stated, "So where exactly is the main theatre?"

"It's over on the top floor." Mai answered, "The elevator that will take us there is in the bar just beyond those stairs. I just hope that it's still working after all these years."

* * *

Luckily, when the Mermaid Agents reached the elevator, the whirring sound it made confirmed that it is still indeed in working condition, much to everyone's relief. During the ascent, a noise suddenly penetrated the silence… and it was getting louder and louder.

"You guys hear that?" Anzu asked.

"Yeah!" Yugi replied, "It sounds like an electric guitar!"

"No doubt a Sander Cohen 'masterpiece' in the works." Oscar noted. "Everyone in Kyoki knows about his obsession with perfection."

"Didlely-didlely-BOW-WOW!" They heard Cohen scream, mimicking the guitar riff, "Louder! LOUDER!" The riff suddenly stopped.

"B-b-but Master Cohen…" a voice cried timidly.

"SHUT UP! Try it again!" And immediately the guitar riff echoed again, from the very beginning.

"See what I mean?" Oscar pointed out. Before they knew it, they had reached the top. "Get your earplugs on guys. Something tells me it's gonna get ugly." The others did just that before following the muffled sound of the guitar to the stage of the main theatre. Once there, they were in for a shocking scene. There was a splicer on the center of the stage, dressed in punk rock attire and complete with a messy Mohawk. The black makeup did nothing to hide the stitches and distorted flesh on the splicer's face. In his hands was a finely crafted electric guitar, with blood splattered on its surface from its owner's over-shredding on the strings. But that wasn't what disturbed the Agents. There were two medium sized amplifiers dangerously close to where the splicer was standing—and they were laced with four sticks of dynamite! The amplifiers were playing a pre-recorded session involving bass, drums, and rhythm guitar. Apparently, the splicer guitarist was having a hard time following along.

"No, no NO!" Cohen barked angrily from the TV screen on the left side of the stage, turning off the background music. "You're doing it wrong!"

The splicer guitarist stopped his riff, and cried out, "I'm TRYING! *Sob* PLEEEASE!"

"Ugh! Take it from the top, Strings!" Cohen muttered in frustration. So the splicer, Strings, reluctantly lifted his electric guitar. "A-one! A-two! A-one, two, three!" Immediately Strings began playing again, and once again, the background music made him follow along to the beat.

From a safe distance, the others watched the poor guy go through his torture for what they presume to be the umpteenth time. "Unbelievable! That bastard is practically forcing him to play, all by threatening his very life!" Emily noted out of Cohen's earshot. "That's no way to encourage a person's talent!"

"Didlely-didlely-didley-BOOOW-WOW!" Cohen barked, "FASTER! LOUDER!" Then suddenly, he turned off the background music again! "NO, NO!"

Strings stopped his riff, and tossed his guitar hard onto the ground in front of him, smashing the instrument to pieces. "AW FUCK YOU, COHEN, GET ME OUTTA HERE-"

He never got a chance to finish, for at that very moment, the dynamite ignited, blowing the sides of the amplifiers to pieces. The damage to the equipment wasn't much, but the impact was enough to amplify the screeching noise enough to make even the Mermaid Agents flinch in pain. Thanks to their earplugs, though, they were able to recover from the blast with their sense of hearing intact. Strings, of course, was not so lucky. He screamed in sheer agony as he covered his ears, then crumpled to his knees. Then to everyone's horror, he dropped his hands, his eyes rolled back and he plopped down near the edge of the stage, dead.

"Holy crap!" Stephen exclaimed, "Talk about a sonic boom!"

"Good riddance!" Kaiba muttered bluntly, "He sucks at the guitar anyway…" The rest chose to ignore that comment as they removed their earplugs—once it was safe to do so, of course.

"Heh, heh, heh… Come down, little butterflies! Especially you, Mai Kujaku, with that handy little camera of yours!"

Mai blinked in surprise before she answered, "Uh, o-okay…" Carefully, the agents navigated toward the stage and as they approached the corpse, Cohen continued his speech with a wide grin.

"There is inspiration all around you… in life… and in death… the burden of the artist… is to capture every—single—moment!"

"Yeah, I know that part." Mai stated, "But what does that have to do with us?"

"See that punk Strings over here on the stage?" Cohen noted, "Now's the time to use your camera, Mai! Capture him as he is now… so that I can always remember."

"Uh, sure!" replied a flustered Mai, and she approached the corpse. She could see that the ears of the dead splicer were bleeding, and that its tongue was sticking far out of the mouth. "Now that's a bit awkward… Normally I'd take pictures of live splicers for research, not dead ones."

Then Pegasus' eyes lit up with an idea. "Miss Mai! If that helps, pretend you're a crime scene investigator!"

As the idea sank into her head, the violet eyed shutterbug smirked. "Oh yeah… Thanks Pegasus! I feel a lot better already!" Taking the digital research camera out of her pocket, she aimed the lenses at the corpse, making sure to stay still and center it just right. Finally, she pushed the button, snapping a digital photo. The others looked over as the picture loaded on the screen. It was a perfect snapshot. Apparently, Cohen seemed to be happy with it as well.

"And now you have Strings, caught in his final moment of glory! Heh, heh, by the way you prepare your shots, you seem to have the eye of a professional photographer little butterfly!"

"Thanks… I guess." Mai replied.

Cohen just smirked. "Now head back to the atrium everyone, and place his photo into my latest and greatest masterpiece yet! And so begins our collaboration!" Once more, he vanished from the screen.

"Oh great…!" Pegasus murmured, "I should have known he was starting another one of his little art projects."

"If that's the case, at least he's using something other than actual people this time." Mai noted, "He's often known for his sculptures—which are nothing more than living humans encased in plaster."

"Wait!" Atem gasped in shock, "So all these statues littering Fort Frolic were actually his creations?!"

"Yup." Yugi confirmed, "He's more commonly known as a serial killer than an artist. Sure, there are artists in this world that are fascinated with the macabre, but the majority of them are sane enough to avoid becoming what Cohen is today."

"I can be thankful for that." Anzu replied.

"In any case, we might as well see what my former disciple is up to." Pegasus suggested. "The sooner we figure out what he wants of us, the sooner we can find the Ace in the Hole and leave."

As our heroes made their departure, Atem decided to speak out in the hall. "Cohen! Whatever you're doing, you better make this quick for all of us! You have no idea as to why we have come here!"

As if on cue, Cohen reappeared on the TV screen hanging behind the bar. "On the contrary… Atem, is it? I know EXACTLY why you all are here!" Soon all eyes were on the screen as the Goth artist continued. "You see, you happen to have a canvas of your own. And right now, you're searching for a certain indestructible brush. For only when you have that brush in hand will you be able to paint your canvas… with the blood of a man who was once my hero!" Pegasus glared at his former disciple, but was cut off before he even got a chance to speak. "Don't get any ideas, 'Master'! I'm talking about that double-crossing bastard, Ryu Mutou!"

Now it was the reluctant merchant who was surprised. "W-what?! Are you saying you've actually turned against your patron?"

"And to think," Cohen stated, "After all these years, we finally agree on something! But I digress… there is no need to worry, my friends, I'll send you to Mutou. But first, you'll each have to take part in the making of my masterpiece! As for the legendary Ace in the Hole, you'll have it in your possession soon enough. It'll only be a matter of time."

"So you know what kind of weapon it is?" Atem asked.

"Of course." Cohen replied, "But don't think that I'll be telling you what it is anytime soon! It's for me to know… and for you to find out!" His lips moved to form a frown. "Now get over to the atrium!" he snapped, "And make it snappy! My muse is a very fickle bitch with an equally short attention span!"

"All right, All right!" Honda barked back, "Sheesh, what a drama queen!" The Agents moved on, unaware that a figure with glowing green eyes was passing by behind them, holding a large hypodermic syringe in the shape of a shotgun, followed by a little Scavenger.

* * *

It wasn't long before they finally reached the stairway to the atrium. There was something different about the place—namely, what's on the stage. "Look guys! There seems to be some bleeding statues own there!" Anzu stated, pointing to the sight, "Seven of them to be exact! And they're holding four picture frames!" Indeed, there were four plaster 'statues' in uncharacteristically whimsical poses, four men and three women. Six of them were wearing bunny masks and dressed like circus acrobats; these were put in pairs, each holding a single picture frame in their hands. One pair was standing on the shoulders of another pair, and the third pair was hanging on their own trapeze swing. At the far left was the lone seventh statue holding the fourth picture frame alone: a stout clown with overalls and striped baggy pants.

Cohen popped on screen again, grinning like the madman he was. "You see it, don't you? When my time comes and I am turned to dust, this is what they'll be staring at: My quadtych! My life's masterpiece! Go on, don't be shy! Touch it… it's not gonna BITE YA!" Mai jumped at the last part, causing the Goth artist to laugh. "I love it when they do that!" he chuckled to himself.

Mai glared in annoyance. "Oh hardy, har, har! Very funny! Anyway, I take it we're supposed to put the photo in one of these frames, right? How are we supposed to do that?"

"There's a printer close by on the stage, not far from the quadtych." Cohen replied smugly, "Plug you camera into that, and once you've chosen the photo, just press 'print' on the screen. I've already set the size." The violet eyed shutterbug climbed on stage and did what she was instructed. The digital photograph was printed out on a large film, large enough to fit neatly within a frame in the quadtych. Carefully, she moved the photo to the frame held by the clown and stuck it in the center, careful not to bend it in the process. Finally the photograph was secured. "Ah YES! And there's the Punk Rocker, Strings, freed from all scars and blemishes!" A spotlight shone on a platform on the right of the stage, and a musical ditty played in the background, putting to mind the moment in the Legend of Zelda games when Link opened important treasure chests with significant items. A plaster statue rose up out of the trapdoor, holding a new and improved crossbow, with an automatic reloading device.

"Nice!" Mai mused, pleased by the prize before her, "I could use something like this!"

"Is that the Ace in the Hole?" Jonouchi asked.

"Not quite." Cohen answered, "But it's bound to come in handy. For here's the best part: This is only just the beginning!" The screen shifted to show three mug shots styled like a videogame select screen. "Here is where you come in! Out here in this place are three individuals: The Diva, Sharde; the Hip Hop Artist, Angler Fish; and the Aspiring Film Star, Louis Rodriguez. What do they all have in common? Well, for one thing, they're all former disciples of mine. But more significantly, they're all tied to one thing: betrayal!" The Goth artist's face returned on screen as he finished his command: "Find them, little butterflies! Hunt them all down one by one… and immortalize their mortality in my quadtych! But of course, this is not the job for the entire swarm! Every one of you has a specific purpose in this collaboration! For Mai, it is the duty to take the photographs. And my 'Master' Pegasus will help to navigate through the area." The atrium grew dark, and four spotlights glided across the floor to the sound of the drumroll. "Our first mission is Sharde, the Diva! And the fighters that will take part in the hunt is…" Finally, the spotlight halted, shining on four Agents: Jonouchi, Stephen, Emily and Oscar! "…you four! The rest of you must stay in the atrium unless I say otherwise! You are allowed to contact each other through your video phones, of course. But you cannot provide any further assistance than that. Now go my butterflies! Once you have sent them to their reward, only then will you go to yours… and to Mutou!" And with that, the Goth artist vanished once again from the screen.

"Well Dudes, looks like we're assassins for hire." Oscar noted. "If we have any chance of reaching Mutou, then I guess we have no choice but to go along with that nutcase!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jonouchi encouraged, "The sooner we exterminate his targets, the sooner we can get out with the Ace in the Hole, whatever that might be!"

"I wish you the best of luck Jonouchi." Atem encouraged.

"Hey, with these guys by my side, I don't need luck!" Jonouchi bragged.

"We'll be waiting for you when you get back!" Honda added.

"Don't do anything too drastic you guys!" Nathaniel warned.

"Sure. We'll keep that in mind!" Stephen replied.

"All right!" Emily exclaimed, "Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines!" With that, the first group of the Mermaid Agents set off on their first mission on Cohen's behalf.

Note: And now the first target has been named, but will Jonouchi be able to help Mai find the diva Sharde (the "e" is silent) and take her down? Also, he learns a surprising secret about one member of Spliced! Who was it and what was the secret in question? Find out in the next chapter of Plasmashock! Until Next Time!


	34. Chapter 34

Note: And now we have our newest chapter in Plasmashock! Didn't have to wait long this time, did you? I'm feeling all pumped up about this one! As Jonouchi and his group traveled toward their target, Jojouchi gets to know about the other members of Spliced- and even learns a surprising secret from one of them. But once they confront the icy splicer Sharde, will their powers be enough to take her down? Enjoy!

**Chapter 34: Ice Queen Sharde**

Amid the leaky halls, Jonouchi and his part of the team approached the entrance to the Pharaoh's Casino, along with Mai and Pegasus. "Blossom," Pegasus requested, "Would you mind doing a search?"

"Don't mind at all, Master!" Blossom squeaked cheerfully, "Whatcha looking for?"

"The whereabouts of a certain Abigail Finnegan, a.k.a Sharde, pop singer/songwriter and ex-follower of Sander Cohen."

"Okie Dokie!" Blossom piped up, taking out a large tablet with a two-way screen and plugging herself in.

"Oh, so this monitor she's got is one of her upgrades, eh?" Jonouchi mused as the doll did a search.

"You gotta hand it to Nathaniel for technology like this!" Oscar beamed, "It comes with a map program and Shockwave Video Chat, so that our buddies can contact us through their Video Phones."

"Here we are!" Blossom finally confirmed, "She's in the Ryujin Plaza just beyond the Pharaoh's Casino. That meanie locked her in there for some reason!"

"Ryujin Plaza?" Stephen mused, "I heard someone in the Benzaiten Safehouse saying that this place has become a giant freezer."

"Eh, no problem!" Jonouchi stated confidently, "With the Blaze plasmid at my command, no icicle is gonna stop me in its tracks!"

"We'll see." Emily replied, "Let's hurry over to the Plaza."

To say that the Pharaoh's Casino was a wreck was an understatement; amid all the slots and card tables, there was rubble and running water. Even the carpet was soggy under the feet of the Agents as they made their entrance. Mai couldn't help but take in the scene. "I still can't believe how different this place looked from when I was younger… *_gasp_* and there's the blackjack table I used to deal on!"

Jonouchi was overwhelmed with sympathy for his girlfriend as she began to cry, seeing the table in question toppled over and smashed under the rubble. He was about to give her some words of comfort when something caught his eye: a slot machine separated from others like it. He approached the machine, which seemed untouched by the carnage. "Whoa… To think that some of those things are still working…" He looked around, then took out a coin from his wallet. "I guess it wouldn't hurt." He inserted the coin in the working slot machine and turned the lever. The slots spun quickly, and when they finally stopped, they all had the same picture: a vintage clown face.

"_**JACKPOT, JACKPOT, JACKPOT…**_" the slot machine droned loudly, and the sandy blonde jumped back in surprise as a large number of coins spewed out onto the floor. Clearly, he wasn't expecting to win on the first try. The noise grabbed the attention of his friends as well.

"Dude… that's one hell of a lucky streak!" Oscar murmured, stunned and impressed at the same time. Emily stepped forward to pick up the winnings.

"Uh, uh, well…" stuttered a frazzled Jonouchi, "It's… all in the wrist! Y-yeah!"

"Well, I'm sure all this money would help my family out for sure!" Emily stated with an eager smile.

"Your family?" Jonouchi asked, "How?"

The eyes of the tomboy bassist grew sad. "When I was little, my mom died of breast cancer. And recently, my dad's been very sick with lung cancer thank to his years of smoking. My older sister's taking care of him now in the Asclepius Safehouse, but so far he hasn't been improving at all. It still amazes me that he's still so optimistic in spite of all this." The sorrow soon gave way to a glint of hope. "When the day comes when the remaining Kyoki citizens could finally go to the surface, the first thing I would like to do is bring him to a hospital that could give him the treatment he needed. I figured that this type of care is going to be expensive, so I'm saving up as much money so I can help him out."

"Oh, I see." Jonouchi stated, "I take it you really love your dad."

"Yeah," replied Emily, "Aside from my sister, he's the only family I have left."

"What about you Oscar?" Jonouchi asked in interest, "What's your family like?"

The drummer scoffed. "My parents are both alcoholics, and splicing has made them worse! I'd rather eat shit than spend another day with them!"

"Oscar and his kid brother, Tycho, have put up with their parents' abuse for years. But when it became too much for them, they ran away and lived in the streets. Don't worry, Tycho's okay; he's been living in the Safehouses since the First Kyoki War." Stephen explained.

"Really?" Jonouchi stated in awe, and turned toward the drummer. "Aw man! I know exactly what you and your brother were going through! You see, my dad's an alcoholic too! He was the reason my mom left to Kyoki with Shizuka! And now that she and I are together again, I'll do whatever it takes to protect her!"

Oscar smiled. "It's good to know that I have a kindred spirit in you, Jonouchi. I feel the same way about Tycho; in fact, he's the only member of my family that I actually love."

"There it is!" Blossom squealed, pointing to a metal door on the other side, "Ryujin Plaza!"

"Good work Blossom!" Pegasus praised.

Mai sighed. "Let's get on with this." As the team approached the door, who else but a certain Goth artist appeared on the TV screen close by.

"Great deduction, little butterflies!" Cohen praised. "As you have figured out, Sharde is beyond this gate." There was a loud metallic noise that sounded like the door was unhinging. "The door to Ryujin Plaza is now open, so please, allow me to draw back the curtain." The door seemed to open on cue, and right away the Agents could feel a chilly draft creeping out.

"BRRR!" Mai stuttered, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's just like the Fisheries Freezers all over again!"

"Well, there's no time like the present." Stephen declared, strangely unaffected by the cold. "Let's search the place!" The heroes stepped forth to enter a world of ice. Everything was literally frozen cold—even the tunnels and bodies. The sandy blonde was quick to notice what appeared to be a video diary hanging on one of the bodies.

"Hey guys, check it out!" he shouted, and took a hold of the machine, which defrosted in his hand.

"Does it still work?" Emily asked as she and the others gathered around to watch.

"Only one way to find out." Jonouchi replied, and pushed the play button. Soon a distorted face appeared on screen. It resembled a woman, whose skin was laced with ice. The frost seemed to lace white shoulder- length hair styled in dangerous points dyed light blue. Even the lipstick and eye-shadow was an icy blue color. Blossom couldn't help but shudder in fear.

"Splicer…!" she gasped.

The splicer in the video spoke. "_**Do you really think you're gonna finish me off, you bloodsucker? The other wussies you tossed into this icebox… all panicked… like rabbits. But me? I watched… and waited. And when they started kicking the bucket… I started to scavenge. I made myself a little splicer cocktail… You know what they say, if you can't come in from the cold… you gotta grow ice… over you heart. And the Ice Queen cometh, Sander baby… The Ice Queen fucking cometh!**_" The entry was over in a flash.

"Sharde…" Mai mused in realization, "That her, without a doubt!"

Suddenly a familiar voice echoed the frozen hall, a voice stuttering from the cold. "I can see you breath…!"

The sandy blonde looked to his right. "THIS WAY! FOLLOW ME!" The others did exactly as told, and eventually they found what seemed to be a long gallery. Far on the other side was a splicer, the same one they saw in the video diary! She was dressed in revealing clothes shaped like icicles, which did nothing to hide the rubbery flesh and protruding ribs.

"There she is!" Stephen exclaimed, raising his greataxe. "Get her!" They barely had a chance to approach her when she suddenly shifted into a cloud of blue smoke that began to charge up.

"Uh, what just happened?!" Oscar asked nervously.

"Wait!" Jonouchi stated in panic, "I know that smoke!" He hardly had the time to voice it when all at once the blue smoke pulsed forth a gigantic wave of liquid nitrogen toward them! And there was no time to escape! Before long, the Agents were all caught in the icy current. "OH NO, NOT AGAIN!" Jonouchi managed to utter before he and his friends were all encased in ice, immobilized like statues. All was silent. Sharde, in the form of blue smoke, navigated around the frozen forms of the Mermaid Agents, observing her handiwork before materializing in front of the sandy blonde's icy body.

"Looks like 'the Count' has finally sent someone…" Sharde muttered to herself. "Son of a bitch… left me to freeze…" She breathed in Jonouchi's face. "I've got a pose all picked out for the six of you." Everything went black soon after.

* * *

A few minutes later, Jonouchi stirred in his frozen body. Slowly, he regained consciousness and saw that he and the others were all moved to the other side of the freezer, set on pedestals like works of art. It was only then that he remembered his Blaze plasmid. Concentrating very hard, he allowed his inner fire to grow. Finally, the fires of the Blaze plasmid melted the ice surrounding his body. Now free from his icy imprisonment, Jonouchi let out a deep breath. "As much as I hate to do this," he muttered, "I gotta thank Kaiba for that Human Torch gene tonic." He looked over to his left, to find the frozen forms of Mai and Pegasus. And from under the ice, the screen held by the robotic doll was flashing with an image, the sound muffled from with. "Mai! Pegasus!" Jonouchi shouted, "Hang in there guys! I'll get you out!" He shot out his fireballs, first at the violet eyed shutterbug, then at the Master Artist. The ice melted instantly, and they collapsed to the ground in relief. Jonouchi rushed to his girlfriend's side. "Are you all right?"

"C-c-cold." Mai stuttered, "But I'm ok-k-kay. T-thank you."

The voice on Blossom's screen was more clear now, and when the sandy blonde turned to see who was talking, he recognized the face immediately. "Jonouchi?! Everyone?!" Atem shouted in panic through the screen, "Can you hear me?!"

"Atem!" Jonouchi exclaimed, running toward the doll. "Pegasus, let me borrow Blossom for a bit!"

"C-certainly Jonouchi Boy." Pegasus replied. Blossom hopped from her Master's shoulder into the sandy blonde's hand, apparently unaffected by the splicer's attack, and held out her tablet so the Bolt wielder could be seen.

"I hear ya Atem!" Jonouchi replied, "Loud and clear!"

"Jonouchi! Thank the gods you're all right!" Atem gasped in relief, "I was starting to get worried when I contacted you! What happened here?! How did you get frozen?"

"This was Sharde's doing." Jonouchi answered. "I'm just glad I got the Blaze plasmid, otherwise everybody would have been frozen forever!" Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound of an ignited fire from behind him. The sandy blonde turned around and his eyes widened in shock, as did the eyes of Mai and Pegasus.

There was Stephen standing in the middle of the pedestal next to him, the ice melting off of him without the sandy blonde's help. And no wonder: where once was smooth pale skin, there was now the glowing red, black and orange pattern, as if he were made of hot coals! "Whew!" Stephen sighed, "I thought I was never gonna get out of here!" And in a flash, he shot of fireballs at Emily and Oscar, freeing them from their icy prison. "You guys all right over there?"

"BRRR!" Emily replied, "Y-yeah! Thanks for melting our p-p-prison!"

"At least now I know how it feels to be ice cream!" Oscar stated.

"THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT FOOD OSCAR!" Stephen barked in frustration.

"I CAN'T HELP IT STEPHEN!" Oscar complained loudly, "I'M GETTING HUNGRY!"

The guitarist let out a heavy breath and turned to find the others staring at him. "What?"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. "Stephen Boy…" Pegasus finally gasped. "Is that the Blaze plasmid upon your skin?"

"Yeah, so?"

It didn't take long before Jonouchi grew angry. "…I thought you said you don't use plasmids!"

"I don't!" Stephen bellowed, "At least not often!"

"Oh really?!" Jonouchi retorted in accusation, "Then where the hell did you get that Blaze plasmid?! And it's clearly got a power boost with the Human Torch gene tonic since you could free yourself from the ice no problem?! Since when did you equip those things?!"

"I didn't equip the Blaze plasmid or the Human Torch gene tonic!" Stephen snapped before he calmed himself down. "I was born with them."

Jonouchi gasped in surprise. He certainly wasn't expecting that answer. "Born with them?"

"It was my mother who equipped Blaze and Human Torch, and she did it while she was pregnant with me." Stephen explained, "You see, a long time ago, she was once a total drug addict. Cocaine, heroin… you name it, she used it. She got herself addicted to Adam as well, and it was only with the help of my dad that she quit before it got worse. Good thing too: my dad was compatible with Adam… but my mom was not." Jonouchi, Mai and Pegasus gasped in horror before the guitarist continued, "It was a miracle that she didn't become a splicer during the time I was in her womb. Maybe it's because I was Adam compatible like my dad… I don't really know for sure. But what I do know for certain was this: The moment she found out she was pregnant with me, she went to my dad to rehabilitate for my sake. It wasn't easy, but in the end it all paid off; by the time I was born, she had stopped using Adam as well as all the other drugs she's used in the past. And Dad was there every step of the way." There was a grateful smile on the face of the firey guitarist. "Even today, she and I are grateful for what he did for us. Not only did he save Mom's life, he saved her sanity and kept her from becoming a splicer. I didn't understand the significance of it all until I was at least nine years old. But ever since the day I found out, I've taken a sacred vow of temperance, avoiding drugs and alcohol as much as I can. This is why I have never equipped any other plasmids and gene tonics, and why I don't normally use the plasmids in my blood unless I have to… I have learned from my mom's past mistakes, just as much as she had. I admit the Blaze plasmid is awesome, but I will never let myself forget that it was made from a powerful drug."

"Wow, that's pretty deep Stephen!" Jonouchi gasped, "What happened to your dad?"

"He managed to smuggle himself to the surface when I was seven years old." Stephen replied, "Unfortunately, Mom and I had to stay behind to avoid suspicion. But he still contacts me on my mom's Video Phone from time to time. He would tell us all these incredible stories about the surface, and sometimes he even showed me some things I would never find down here. From what I've seen, compared to life in Kyoki, the world up there is so bright and wide! Just thinking about it makes me miss my dad even more! Like my friends and so many others of my generation and the next, I've lived my whole life at the bottom of the sea. I look forward to the day when we are free from Mutou's grip and can finally leave this place behind. When that day comes, the first thing Mom and I want to do was to see my dad."

After a short moment, Jonouchi finally smiled a confident smirk. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go and kick some ass so we can make that dream come true!"

"You mean it Jonouchi?" Stephen asked.

"Of course!" Jonouchi replied as Mai and Pegasus stepped by his side. "Besides, with your own Blaze plasmid you and I will make a really hot team! No pun intended!"

"Ha, ha, SWEET!" Stephen answered, pumping his firey fist. "Let's do this!"

Both Blaze wielders shouted simultaneously, "FIST BUMP!" The moment their fists made contact, the fire between them ignited into a spectacular blast. Needless to say, they were impressed by the result when they parted.

"Whoa, that was awesome!" Stephen murmured with a grin.

"Yeah Dude!" Oscar agreed, "Makes you wanna use Blaze more often!"

"Oh shut up!" the guitarist barked.

Atem chuckled at his friends antics from Blossom's video chat. "All right, now that everyone's out of the ice, let's concentrate at the task at hand. Jonouchi, you said that Sharde was the responsible party, right?"

"Yeah," Jonouchi confirmed, "She brought forth this wave of liquid nitrogen and froze us all up at once, much like Kaiba's Glacier Wave."

"Hmm, from what you were saying, you're dealing with a high level ice mage splicer." Yugi noted from the side, "Maybe that's why Cohen chose you along with Stephen, Emily and Oscar. By now, your plasmids are strong enough to be a match to her Blizzard abilities. Still, it wouldn't hurt to stay on your guard while hunting her down."

"Thanks Yugi." Mai replied, "We'll call you guys again once Sharde kicks the bucket."

"Gotcha!" Yugi replied. And with that, the call ended.

"Okay now, let's try this again…" Pegasus stated, "Blossom, see if you can find Sharde's coordinates."

"O-okay." Blossom squeaked timidly, and began to scan the area. "EEK!" she shrieked, "I found her! And there are other splicers in the area too!"

"Where is she?" Emily shouted, raising her rapier.

"Uh, guys…" Oscar noted, pointing at the ice sculptures in front of them. "I think this is what Blossom's talking about… the splicers are encased in the ice as well!"

"You're right!" Mai stated, taking out her crossbow.

"Well then let's just shatter her to pieces." Jonouchi suggested.

"I don't think Cohen would like that." Stephen replied. "He'd probably want the body somewhat intact. Plus, I highly doubt that she would shatter that easily; Sharde is a high level ice mage splicer after all." The violet eyed shutterbug scanned the frozen splicer field. But it wasn't long before caught sight of one splicer in particular.

"A-ha!" she stated, "There she is!"

"So now what?" Jonouchi asked.

After a slight pause, Stephen stepped forward with a suggestion. "We get rid of the weaker splicers first, then focus on Sharde. Since fire is the weakness of ice mage splicers, we'll take her down using our Overdrive Abilities. And considering how strong she's going to be, I have a feeling she's not gonna go down without a fight."

"I'll even the odds by shattering some of these splicers." Mai stated, and too aim with her crossbow. "The fewer that come to Sharde's aid, the better!" With that said, she fired at the nearest target and shattered it to pieces. Since her new crossbow came with an automatic reloader, her task could be achieved more quickly, and a few more splicers were dispatched in mere seconds.

"I'll help out!" Emily stated, shooting a hand outward, "TITAN MIND GRIP!" And to Jonouchi's amazement, a large icicle detached itself from the ceiling and was tossed into the wall as if on its own volition! The tomboy bassist smirked as she picked up several sharp pieces of ice with the power of her mind. "Surprised? Honda Hiroto isn't the only one that's equipped a Telekinesis Plasmid!" And she tossed the ice toward several more frozen splicers, which impaled many of them in the process.

"All right!" Stephen announced, "Time to heat things up! SPINNING INFERNO!" With a spinning movement similar to Jonouchi's, Stephen formed a firey ring with his greataxe and launched the ring of fire toward their main foe. Even as the ice melted, the guitarist's Overdrive Ability did a number of the remaining splicers—and even singed Sharde!

"AAAAAAUGH!" the Ice Queen screamed, both in pain and in anger, "BASTARDS! I guess you were just _too hot_ to handle! TAKE THAT!" Ice spikes formed materialized over her hands, and she tossed them toward her targets, trying to freeze them in their tracks.

"LOOK OUT!" Mai exclaimed. The attack was so fast though, the others barely made it out of the way before Sharde transformed into an icy cloud to teleport to a more advantageous position. A few of her spider splicer minions sped over, sickles in hand. Oscar immediately noticed that there was a puddle that formed right where the enemy was heading. He smirked.

"I may not have the Blaze plasmid like my buddies do," Oscar stated, "but I know this much: there's more than one way to fry spider splicers! PLASMA BOLT!" The drummer's Overdrive Ability was unleashed, not at the splicers themselves, but at the puddle. Charged with a great deal of electricity, the spider splicers screamed in agony and bit the dust. He was so busy cheering over his victory that he didn't notice Sharde materializing behind him. Her form translucent like a living ice sculpture, she shot herself toward him in a snowy mist. Seeing the danger before him, Oscar tried to jump backward. But he couldn't make it out of the way in time, and even though the ice spikes grazed his stomach, it still managed to freeze him in place!

"OSCAR! NO!" Emily shouted, and the others stared in shock.

"Now to finish you off!" Sharde exclaimed, aiming to shatter the frozen drummer to pieces. Jonouchi immediately stepped in the way, his Blaze plasmid glowing with his fury.

"Don't you DARE lay a finger on my friend!" Jonouchi roared, raising his sword and preparing to go in Overdrive, "SPINNING INFERNO!" The flaming ring not only melted the ice surrounding the drummer, but it also made another direct hit on the enemy. The Ice queen screamed again in agony as she escaped in cloud form to the other side of the hall. Oscar fell to his knees, breathing a sigh in relief.

"Thanks Dude!" Oscar stated gratefully.

"Don't celebrate just yet!" Pegasus warned, "Our little Ice Queen is going to try to use her powers of liquid nitrogen again!" Indeed, to the dismay of the Agents, the cloud was beginning charge up again.

"Jonouchi!" Stephen exclaimed, "I just remembered a defensive technique using the heat of the Blaze! Just do what I do!"

"Okay," Jonouchi muttered, "I just hope you know what you're doing!" The two Blaze wielders allowed their plasmid to glow even brighter on their skin. Right at that very moment, the blue cloud pulsed and once more and enormous tidal wave of liquid nitrogen surged toward the Agents.

"NOW!" Stephen commanded, and waved his hand upward. Jonouchi quickly followed the guitarist's example, and was in awe as they both unleashed their own wave of heat—and it was powerful enough to actually split the wave of liquid ice!

Seeing that her plan of attack had been foiled, Sharde materialized again, and she was fuming! This time, Mai was ready. She took aim with her crossbow, and fired. It was a direct hit, straight into Sharde's icy heart. The screams of rage had quickly become screams of pain. "Let's finish her off!" Jonouchi declared.

"Right!" Stephen agreed, and both charged themselves up to full power.

"RAIN OF FIRE!" they both exclaimed, unleashing the fireballs through the swing of the sword and the greataxe, and combining them into one powerful meteor storm. It wasn't enough to melt the ice surrounding the tunnels, but the firey shower was enough to overwhelm the Ice Queen. Engulfed in flames, Sharde let out one final scream of agony. Then it was all over. Her charred body fell to the ground, her features barely recognizable. Fire still flickered here and there, melting the flesh surrounding them like a gruesome version of a beeswax candle. The Agents approached the corpse cautiously. There was a moment of uneasy silence between them.

"Um…is she…?" Blossom finally asked, peeking out from behind her master's shoulder.

"Yep, she's a goner." Emily confirmed. Right on cue, Cohen's face appeared on the TV screen above them.

"Well done little butterflies! Looks like she's ready for her close up. You know what to do, Mai! Take her photo and place it in the quadtych! Oh, this is so exciting! I feel like a mother ready to give birth to her first child!"

"Yeah, I get it!" Mai muttered and readied her camera. It took her a few seconds to set the right adjustments, until finally she took her snapshot. Once again, the resulting picture was sheer perfection.

"Ah, YES!" Cohen cheered triumphantly, "Now head on back and put the picture in the frame! Let see how well it fits."

"Well guys," Jonouchi stated, "Time to head back to the atrium! Blossom, you mind calling the others?"

"Okie Dokie!" Blossom squeaked, and inserted the code in her tablet. It wasn't long before the Bolt wielder appeared on screen.

"Atem, Yugi, we got her!" Jonouchi announced, "And we got the photo as well! We'll be back in just a few minutes!"

"That's great Jonouchi!" Atem stated.

"Well, that's one down, two to go!" Yugi noted. "Hurry on back! We're starting to miss you guys!"

"Got it!" Jonouchi confirmed.

* * *

Back in the atrium, Atem and the other Agents breathed out a sigh of relief as the call ended, with the notable exception to Kaiba and his 'I don't care' attitude. "I'm so glad they all made it through in one piece!" Nathaniel sighed. Suddenly, there was a loud dolphin screech, followed by some crashing noises, and the voice of a little girl with a low overtone.

"Get him Buttercup! Get rid of that monster!"

"Sound like there's a battle going on here!" Coral noted, "Big Bertha's on the rampage!"

"And it sound likes she got a Scavenger under her wing!" Honda added. No sooner than the Telekinesis wielder finished his sentence than a Hunter bull rushed into view, crushing an attacking spider splicer into the wall. The Hunter was a Bouncer model in a gray suit. A little Scavenger girl followed, barely at the tender age of five and wearing a tattered blue outfit similar to that worn by Mei Lin. It was clear that the Big Bertha was victorious over her splicer opponent, for the red lights in the Bouncer's helmet faded to yellow, and soon the Scavenger was jumping up and down, cheering.

"Yay Buttercup! Hee, hee, hee, I knew you could save me! C'mon, let go look for more angels!" Taking hold of the Hunter's oversized hand, the Scavenger once again began to lead search for Nagi.

"That Hunter looks different from the others we've encountered thus far." Atem noted.

"This is one of the elite models." Anzu explained, "They're made to be stronger than their lesser counterparts."

"Can you befriend them?" Atem asked.

"Yep!" Anzu replied, reactivating her Hunter Friendship plasmid, "But it's not going to be as easy as the lesser models. Just watch, and you'll understand why." She tossed the green glob toward the Elite Bouncer, striking her just before she had a chance to disappear. The Hunter stumbled a bit on shock, and the Scavenger stopped in her tracks.

"Buttercup?" the Scavenger stated in concern, "What's the matter?" The Hunter spun around, screeching her dolphin call and taking a threatening stance, causing the little Scavenger girl to hide behind her guardian in fear.

"It's okay…" Anzu pleaded gently, "Calm down. We're not going to hurt you." The Big Bertha screeched again, obviously not convinced at the diplomatic protector's plea. Anzu approached slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements. "Don't worry, you can trust us. We could use you help in this place." The Hunter did not reply at first. Then she lifted her large hand, pointing toward the Agents and let out a whistle with a demanding tone.

"What does she say?" Atem asked.

"Elite Hunters aren't as quick to trust others are the lesser models are." Anzu explained, "We have to prove our worth to her before she can work for us."

"And how exactly do we do that?"

"We'll I think you should know by now." Anzu kneeled down and called out to the terrified Scavenger. "It's okay, Little One." The little girl peeked out hesitantly. "C'mon… don't be frightened. We're friends." Finally, the timid Scavenger crept out cautiously from behind her guardian, holding her gun-shaped syringe like a comfort toy. "That's it. It's gonna be all right. This nice man over here is going to help you, okay?"

"O-okay…" the Scavenger replied, a little doubtful.

"Go on Atem." Anzu encouraged, "This is your chance to prove your worth to Buttercup."

"R-right." Atem replied in understanding.

"Now watch carefully." The diplomatic protector stated to the Hunter, "We're going to save your little charge. You have our word, and if she is dead, you have every right to kill us all to avenge her." The Hunter whistled as if to grant permission, although she didn't lower her drill arm. Under her watchful eye, the Scavenger stepped toward the Bolt wielder, who bent down to her level. Atem's heart was pounding faster than ever before, but he didn't show his fear.

"Hello Little One." He greeted, placing a hand gently on the little girl's shoulder. "I know a way to get rid of that slug without putting you in danger. But you'll have to do exactly as I say, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." The Scavenger replied, nodding in understanding.

"All right… close your eyes… take a deep breath…" As the Scavenger followed Atem's instructions, he let his Restoration plasmid take over. "Relax…" Gently cradling the Scavenger's head, he held her limp body and let the plasmid do its work. The light of the Restoration plasmid spread, and lit up the whole atrium. When the light final faded, there stood the little girl, alive and well, a Scavenger no more. The slug laid unmoving at her feet, and Yugi picked it up as the child looked over herself in surprise. Even the Elite Bouncer was stunned. After what seemed like a long time, the little girl began to smile a very big smile.

"Hee, hee, hee! I'm saved!" she giggled happily, and bounded toward her protector, "Look at me Buttercup! I'm me again!"

"You see?" Anzu stated, "We're your friends! We would be very happy if you can join us." At first, the Hunter just stood there, unmoving. Then her dolphin whistle grew friendly, and the yellow lights in her helmet turned green. "Thank you Buttercup!" The Hunter whistled again, introducing herself. "Oh? Gamma? Nice to meet you!" Only then did the diplomatic protector hide her plasmid once more and she and Gamma shook hands.

"Want her to take you back to your hiding place?" Yugi asked the child.

"Sure!" she answered, allowing Gamma to lift her up onto her back. "Take me home Buttercup!" Gamma was more than happy to oblige and began her trek toward the nearest Scavenger hole.

Suddenly, Atem's video Phone emitted its signal. When he lifted it up to answer it, he was surprised to see a certain benefactor on screen. "Tenenbaum!" he gasped in amazement.

"Good to see you again Atem." Tenenbaum greeted. "I see you and the others are doing well. First of all, it is an honor for me to welcome you and many others to the Mermaid League. I look forward for all the great deeds to come. But more importantly, I must thank you yet again for saving the Little Ones. Up until the middle of the Second Kyoki War, they had no one to look up to… except for me… and I'm not much. Along with the rest of the Mermaid League, you give them hope, just as you have given hope to all the refugees in the Safehouses. And for that, I am truly grateful!"

"I'm glad to hear that from you, Tenenbaum." Atem replied, "You and all my fellow Agents give me a great deal of motivation.

Tenenbaum let out a gentle chuckle. "In any case… I know it's a bit much, but I'm sending you something to show you that gratitude. This time, you'll find it straight at the Gatherer's Garden. I wish you the best of luck until we meet again." With that, the grandmother figure ended her call. _How strange…_ Atem thought, _The more I look at her, the more familiar she seemed to me. I wonder if she was a part of my past?_

_What's that?_ Yugi asked mentally.

_Oh, nothing._ Atem replied.

"YO GUYS!" Jonouchi exclaimed from the top of the stairs, "WE'RE BAAA-AAAACK!"

"YEAH!" Honda cheered, "Nice work, Man!"

"Hmm, apparently you had to use your Blaze plasmid in this fight, eh Stephen-Mon?" Nathaniel noted.

"Not like I had a choice." Stephen answered, hiding his Blaze.

"Well, let's put this photo on display before our client flips his lid." Mai suggested, stepping up toward the quadtych. Quickly, she printed out her photo and placed in in the frame next to the one displaying Strings. Once the photo was securely in place, the Zelda treasure theme played again, and a new plaster sculpture came out of the trapdoor. This one was holding a bo staff made of finely crafted steel, decorated with lightning bolts. "Atem? I think you should take this one. It looks much better on you than a rusted piece of plumbing."

"Don't mind if I do." Atem replied taking the staff.

"It's all coming together… Ah YES!" Cohen rejoiced on the TV screen. Soon however, his lips gave a scowl. "But there will always be doubters out here. Doubters… yech! Just thinking about them makes me want to puke! You don't doubt me, do you?"

"Uh, n-no!" Atem replied quickly. The Goth artist smiled in satisfaction.

"Good. Time for our next mission!" The TV screen showed the three mug shots once more, crossing the Diva off the list. "Your next target is Angler Fish, best known for his rap singles." The atrium went dark again, and three spotlights scanned the area by the sound of the drumroll. "This time, the fighters who will accompany Mai and Pegasus are… You three!" The spotlight finally stopped, shining down on three Mermaid Agents: Nathaniel, Coral, and of course, Kaiba! "Again, all others must stay in the atrium unless I say otherwise. Now, I confess, I do not know the exact location of Angler Fish myself, but I think there's a clue to his whereabouts located in the old studio downstairs. Good luck finding it!" And with that, Cohen vanished once again from the screen.

"Don't tell your former disciple about this, Pegasus," Kaiba stated bluntly, "But he's starting to get on my nerves!"

"You and me both, Kaiba Boy." Pegasus replied.

"Let's go over to the Gatherer's Garden First." Nathaniel suggested, "It's likely Dr. Tenenbaum has her reward set up there. Plus, we could do some shopping for any plasmids we need—like a gene tonic that could give Atem Mon an upgrade to his Bolt Plasmid."

The others looked at Kaiba, as if pleading him with the task. The Splicer Killer sighed in annoyance. "All right, I'll get the Electric Flesh gene tonic! But just to remind you, that still doesn't make us friends!"

Note: And now it's Kaiba's turn to show his stuff! In the next chapter, he and his part of the team explore the seemingly abandoned studio for clues about Angler Fish's whereabouts- only to find that it's not quite abandoned at all. And once they find the location of their target, things will really start to heat up! Until Next Time!


	35. Chapter 35

Note: Finally got this chapter out of the way! Man, there seems to be no end to all those distractions! At least I had a little bit of an easier time thinking up a fight scene. Anyway, let's get on with the story! It's Kaiba's turn to do some man hunting, but will they find the clues to Angler Fish's whereabouts? And how will our Splicer Killer and his companions fare when they do find him? Enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 35: The Search for Angler Fish**

Kaiba couldn't tell which was more annoying: The one eyed plasmid merchant Pegasus, or his disgustingly cute robotic dolls working at the Gatherer's Garden shops. I mean, no matter how many times he visited the place, he just couldn't stand the sound of their high pitch singing or the silly dance they do across the plasmid gardens they 'grow'. And let's not forget the fact that they look like cutesy cartoon versions of the poor Scavengers wandering the ruined streets. But who was he to complain? They have the plasmids and gene tonics he needed in his battle against the splicers. Still, as he and his team approached the Fort Frolic branch of the Gather's Garden, the Splicer Killer couldn't contain his distain as Pegasus once again started to ramble. "You know Kaiba Boy, I think this store would get even more customers if I added another mascot—like your Blue Eyes White Dragon from the Duel Monsters game! Of course, I'll need to make some adjustments to make it fit in with the style of the store."

Kaiba's blood boiled at the thought of a toon version of his favorite monster. "Don't even think about it! It'll be a disgrace of the real Blue Eyes!"

"I think it's an excellent idea!" Nathaniel chuckled, "You could put it on a leash and…"

"ET TU NATHANIEL?!" Kaiba bellowed.

"Settle down boys!" Coral stated, "Look, there's the reward Tenenbaum was talking about!" The others looked toward the shop where the cute chef was pointing. Lying at the front of the counter was what seemed like a well-used teddy bear.

"Oh, how cute." Kaiba noted with a strong hint of sarcasm. "Maybe we can kill the splicers with a pillow fight."

"Sheesh, for someone with a reputation of killing splicers, you're pretty stupid." Mai stated, picking up the stuffed animal in question and handing it to the cute chef. Coral scanned it, and smiled upon finding what she was looking for: a zipper on the toy's back. She opened it up and carefully took out its contents, which surprised Kaiba to no end. Inside was a full bottle of 200 Nagi, along with some smaller bottles containing a turquoise liquid.

"Hey, that a new line of Eve anti-venom!" she gasped in excitement.

"Eve?" Kaiba queried.

"You call it Nami." Coral explained, "Anyway, this supply looks much more potent. Let's see… 'For use against the poisons of elite splicers'."

"Well, well, I guess the old lady's reward's aren't really so bad after all." Kaiba mused with a smirk, which quickly faded. "But anyway, can we go on with the plasmid shopping already? That stupid song is getting to me!"

"All right, quit complaining!" Nathaniel stated calmly. Kaiba approached the 'flower' holding the needed gene tonic and gave the Nagi to the doll nearby for the payment. Once this was done, he put the Electric Flesh gene tonic in a pouch for safekeeping.

"There, now that's done…" Kaiba muttered. "Let's hurry over to the art studio in the basement."

Pegasus nodded in agreement. "Blossom, bring out the map."

"Okie Dokie!" Blossom squeaked, downloading the map in question.

"There's a flight of stairs leading to the studio from the left of the atrium. If my least favorite disciple is correct, there's likely some kind of clue pointing out Angler Fish's hideout."

"Or we might be heading into some kind of trap." Mai reminded.

"Just to be certain," Nathaniel suggested, "we better not let our guard down."

* * *

About a minute later, the wooden door leading to the old art studio creaked open. Kaiba made no effort to hide his distain. "Oh great, another flight of stairs."

"And if that's not enough," Coral noted, "it's awfully dark in here."

"Well, now that you mention it, the electricity doesn't seem to be working right." Mai noted, "We'll need to stay cautious."

"Good thing we got some flashlights in handy." Nathaniel stated, turning his flashlight on. As the team carefully navigated down the rotted wooden stairs, they couldn't help but notice a line of plaster statues on either side of them. Each one of them was posed like ballet dancers, but the sickles in their hands were nothing less than unnerving. Coral couldn't help but shudder in fear.

"These statues are giving me the creeps…" she muttered nervously. "I want to get out of here!"

"Calm down Coral-Chan." Nathaniel reassured, "They're just statues. They're not going to come to life and attack us." Unnoticed by the Agents, however, the 'statues' turned around to survey their prey as they passed by.

It wasn't long before they finally reached the bottom of the staircase. The art studio was a huge room, with remnants of easels and other art supplies dotted here and there. "Well, this is it." Pegasus announced.

"Ugh, it stuffy in here!" Mai noted, holding her nose, "Has it really been that long since the last time it was used?"

Nathaniel stepped ahead of the group. Suddenly, there was a splashing sound, and the vocalist could feel something wet up to his knees. Startled, he pointed his flashlight to the ground. "Uh, I think I just found the reason why… The whole floor has been flooded with seawater."

"So what else is new?" Kaiba asked. Cautiously the others followed in suit, sloshing through the chilly flood. The flashlights searched high and low throughout the large area. "So how exactly are we going to find the clue we're looking for if we don't know what it is?"

"I say we split up and get a closer look." Mai suggested.

"I was afraid you'd say that…" Coral sighed and the Agents each went into a different direction. While the others searched diligently for whatever evidence they could find, poor Coral was just aiming her flashlight ahead, afraid that something might pop up any minute. She moved backward, looking in every direction for danger, when right at that moment she came into contact with something. "AAAAAAIIIEEEEEEEE!" she screamed in panic. Nathaniel rushed over to his terrified girlfriend.

"What happened?!" he shouted, grabbing hold of her and gently squeezing her in his arms.

"Someone's behind me!" She shrieked, "I felt it!" Nathaniel pointed his flashlight toward the object in question and his concerned expression relaxed.

"It's okay Boo," he reassured, turning Coral toward the object, "It's just a mannequin."

"Somebody's been watching too many horror movies lately." Kaiba replied bluntly.

"You're not helping, Kaiba-Mon!" Nathaniel retorted.

Mai stepped over for a closer look, noticing something odd about the mannequin in question. Suddenly she gasped. "Hey guys, look! There seems to be a video diary hanging out from the purse that thing is holding!"

The others quickly gathered around as the violet eyed shutterbug took it out. "Really? Well then play it!" Kaiba demanded, "It might be what we're looking for!" Mai nodded and pressed play. On the screen they noticed a clown panting heavily. His makeup was mostly black, with a yellow star over the left eye and a teardrop on the right, complete with a round red nose and a big white smiley pattern over his mouth. There were two orange tufts of hair sticking out like a pair of fluffy horns. His eyes darted back and forth, panic stricken, before he began to speak.

"_**That Cohen… he's finally flipped his lid! I've finally got the courage to stand up to that piece of shit, and he went all ballistic screaming, 'Doubter! Doubter!' If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that he means business when he gets angry! And now he's out to get me! I've gone into hiding here in this art studio, but I fear that it's not gonna be long before he finds me! The only thing that worries me more than my own safety, is that of my son…**_" Soon a figure appeared from behind the clown, his black chapped lips dipping into a frown. The figure approached, unnoticed at first by his victim, who by then was beginning to cry. "_**Oh, my poor son! If I'm gone, what will become of him?! I hope that bastard doesn't lay a finger on him or-**_" in his grief he slowly turned around at that moment, and upon seeing Cohen rushing up from behind him, the clown let out a terrified girlish scream. The camera view blurred as he dropped the video phone, stopping on the ground and showing the Goth artist catching up to the hapless traitor, and holding him by the cuff of his shirt.

"_**Do you really think you can escape my spiderweb, old man?**_" Cohen threatened.

"_**P-p-please!**_" the clown stuttered, "_**D-do anything you like! Pull me on the rack, cover my body in plaster, even feed me to your tarantula! But whatever you do, PLEASE SPARE MY SON!**_" While the coward was pleading, Cohen was staring at the screen as if he noticed the video diary. He turned back toward his victim.

"_**All right, I'll let your little boy live.**_" He stated, his hand reaching out and touching the machine, "_**But only under one condition.**_" With that he pressed a button, and the screen went blank, ending the entry.

"Hmph! Apparently, this isn't the evidence we're searching for." Kaiba noted.

"True. But still, that clown looks awfully familiar…" Nathaniel mused. "Where have we seen him before?"

Before anyone could provide an answer, the lights on the ceiling flickered briefly, and there were suddenly shadows on the wall where once was an empty space. Quickly they spun around and found eight plaster statues, all posed like dancers around a safe in the corner as if they were guarding something inside it. "Those statues weren't here before…!" Coral gasped.

Blossom shrank down behind her master's shoulder in fear. "EEK! Warning! Warning! Splicers detected in the area!"

Mai glared immediately. "I've got a bad feeling about this… Stand back!" Stepping ahead of the group, the violet eyed shutterbug lifted her crossbow and took aim. After what felt like an eternity, but was actually a few seconds, she fired. The crossbow bolt struck one of the statues in the chest, and to everyone's shock, it crumpled to the ground instead of shattering! What's even more shocking was that the other seven 'statues' immediately sprang to life and were now rushing toward our heroes, sickles ready to strike!

"Oh SHIT!" Nathaniel exclaimed, "A pack of wolves in sheep's clothing!" Quickly, the others leaped out of the way, narrowly escaping the many blades. It wasn't easy considering the fact that they were knee deep in seawater. Putting himself at a safe distance, Pegasus began to fire his machine gun at the splicers. It hit one of him head on, but thanks to the plaster, she didn't fall as easily as she would under Mai's crossbow. The rest moved out of the way, and some jumped to the ceiling.

"You think you can get away from me?!" Kaiba shouted, jumping up after them. Around the same moment, he injured spider splicer now rushed toward a terrified Coral, who had just taken out her daggers.

"CORAL-CHAN, WATCH OUT!" Nathaniel shouted in panic. Pushing aside her fear, the cute chef squeezed her eyes shut and let out a battle cry before charging at her attacker. Remarkably, she sliced the enemy dead. It took her a few seconds before she realized it though.

Back on the ceiling, Kaiba was on the chase, trying to catch up to two of the spider splicers. Again and again, he struck his gauntlet blades. But as his targets were incredibly fast, he kept missing, much to his growing frustration. "Hold still, damn it!" He barked, and he made several flips to try and get the advantage. But one of his targets struck him on the side, forcing him to fall down into the water.

"Kaiba!" Coral exclaimed, only to dodge an incoming sickle. While Nathaniel was forced to block the attack of another land-bound splicer, Mai continued her barrage, shooting her crossbow as the splicers came down from the ceiling to join their fellows. It was obvious that she was having no luck, and it was equally obvious that the team was at a great disadvantage.

"They're too strong!" Mai shouted, "And with the studio flooded, there's no way we can match their speed!"

Nathaniel lifted his trident as his Blizzard plasmid sparkled with power, pushing his opponent out of the way in the process. "Then I guess we have no choice—time to even the odds! Get to higher ground everyone!" Even the injured Splicer Killer understood the vocalist's intentions, and he once more jumped up to the ceiling while the others climbed onto the tables. Nathaniel leaped upward, raising his trident and aiming it toward the floor. "GLACIER WAVE!" The power of his Overdrive Ability took hold, and the resulting hailstorm froze the seawater as well as the six remaining spider splicers. Soon the entire art studio was covered in ice. "Kaiba Mon, finish them off while there's still time!"

"With pleasure!" Kaiba replied with a smirk, leaping down from the ceiling. On the way down he willed his gauntlet machines morph into drills, which made contact with the frozen enemy. One by one, in rapid succession, he shattered all of his targets into thousands of pieces. It was only when the last target was slain that the Splicer Killer let out a sigh and collapsed onto his knees, giving him time to use his Nami serum. Once it was safe, the rest of the Agents came down from their elevated ground.

"Are you all right, Kaiba Boy?" Pegasus asked, trying his best not to fall on the slippery ice.

"Of course he is," Mai stated, "he just kicked ass!"

Once he was fully healed, the Splicer Killer rose up and looked toward the safe in the corner. "Apparently that mob was guarding whatever is inside that safe over there. That could only mean that the contents must be important."

"I can hack into that safe and get it open for you." Nathaniel suggested, sliding ahead of the other Mermaid Agents.

"Be my guest." Kaiba replied. The vocalist wasted no time setting up a hacking device and pressing buttons. It only took at least 15 seconds before they heard a clicking noise from the safe.

"All right, it's unlocked." Nathaniel announced, opening the safe. Inside, there lay another video diary. "Hmm, I wonder if this is what we're looking for?" He queried as he took the diary out and pressed play. On the screen, there was what appeared to be an African American man in an orange hood, complete with cracked sunglasses. The knobs on his rubbery flesh and swollen lower lips denoted his status as a splicer, and one they recognized immediately.

"_**You wanna lock us in, Motherfucker?!**_" the splicer barked angrily, "_**Fine by Angler Fish! I used to love ya, and worship ya! I used to think you was a superstar! You know why? Cause you PAID MY RENT, ASSHOLE! Come on over to the electronics boutique, and I'll show ya what I think of yo hammer-ons and pull-offs!**_" And the entry was over in a flash.

"Ugh… things like this would never have happened when I was in charge of Fort Frolic." Pegasus groaned.

"Yeah, that's right!" Blossom piped up in agreement, "Master would never cheat any of his disciples!"

"Well, at least now we know where to find Angler Fish." Kaiba noted. "Let's head over to the electronics boutique and get it over with."

"Great idea." Mai agreed, "Pegasus, have Blossom bring up the map and mark our destination."

"Will do, Miss Mai!" Pegasus stated. Mai looked over and was surprised to see that Nathaniel was still had his face toward the video diary in his hand. His eyes, however, weren't focused on the object at all.

"Nathaniel?" Mai asked, "Is something on your mind?"

This seemed to snap the vocalist out of his trance. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Oh, never mind." Mai stated, "Let's go take down Angler Fish!"

"…Right." Nathaniel replied, trying to hide the hesitation in his voice. But Coral stared at her boyfriend with a quiet look of sympathy; she knew him better than the rest of the Agents.

* * *

A few minutes later, our heroes soon found themselves near the entrance to their destination, complete with glass walls. The dot shown on the map blinked on and off, and Blossom shook as if in fear. "H-here we are…" she stuttered, "A-Angler Fish is just beyond this point. A-a-and I detect splicers in the area! Lots of them!"

"Splicers, eh?" Kaiba stated with a smirk. "This is gonna be good!"

"Let's just get in already…" Mai muttered, and the others proceeded. Once inside the building, it was clear to see that the two floors of the whole store had been affected as well. Walls and shelves were in disarray, filled with shattered CDs, computers, tablets and game consoles. In one corner there was a large arcade room filled with games in varying conditions.

"What a waste." Kaiba noted, "These were all state-of-the-art technology… and now they're lying around everywhere like they're nothing more than trash…"

"In any event, I think this is a good time to start searching the place." Pegasus suggested. Coral and Mai nodded once in agreement. Then suddenly the cute chef gasped.

"Hey, where Nathaniel?" she asked. Startled, the others looked around. It didn't take long for them to find him: he was standing in front of a nearby shelf, taking out one of the few unbroken CD cases. On its cover, there was a picture of what seems to be a blue-eyed black man of Jamaican descent, complete with dreadlocks and a pair of sunglasses resting on his brow. Nathaniel's eyes peered at the image intensely, and it the rest of the Mermaid Agents could now see what exactly those eyes held: a sadness deeper than the deepest part of the ocean.

"Hey, what's up?" Mai asked in concern. The vocalist didn't answer. He just kept on staring at the CD. So the violet-eyed shutterbug asked again. "Is something wrong?"

"… I'm fine." Nathaniel finally replied, though his voice gave a strong hint of melancholy. "I was just thinking about my parents."

"Your parents?" Pegasus asked.

The vocalist looked up toward his friends. "I don't remember much about them, but they used to hang out together here when they were younger, especially at the music section and the arcade. My father was an aspiring reggae artist, and my mother was a haiku poet whose family descended from a minor clan of samurai." He held up the CD in both hands. "This is the first CD my father had ever made… it fact, it's the only CD he ever made."

"So he's a one-hit wonder." Kaiba stated sarcastically.

"Kaiba!" Coral snapped.

"What happened that made him stop?" Mai asked.

Nathaniel's tears, as black as squid ink, began to flow down his cheeks at that moment. "He was killed, along with my mother. The rest of my family was slaughtered too, all caught in the crossfire during the War of Smugglers… I was only a baby then, but I was right there with them when it happened! And I was the only one who survived!" The Agents stared at the vocalist in utter shock, with the notable exception of his girlfriend, who already knew of his tragic past.

A loud noise suddenly echoed from the bottom floor, grabbing everyone's attention. Even Nathaniel was snapped out of his moment of melancholy. "What was that?!" Coral gasped.

Soon a voice mumbled in the empty store, though everyone could barely hear it. "My album's almost done… then we'll see who's the REAL star in this town! Then I can finally tell that emo vampire that his music sucks! Get it? 'SUCKS!' You know, how a vampire sucks blood with the force of a vacuum cleaner… Ah, never mind!"

"It seems to be coming from downstairs." Pegasus reasoned. The group quickly sped over to the ledge where a flight of stairs used to be. Close to the center, there appeared to be a figure sitting on a recliner.

"Is that Angler Fish down there?" Coral asked.

"It's kinda hard to tell." Mai noted.

"Then let's go down there and find out." Kaiba suggested, jumping down. Hesitantly, the others followed in suit. The Splicer Killer confidently approached the figure, which seemed to appear to be asleep. "Heh, this will be easy!"

"Yeah… In fact, this seems a bit too easy." Nathaniel noted, taking out his trident. "Something's not right." The vocalist stepped behind Kaiba, who willed his machine to morph into gauntlet blades.

"Nothing personal…" Kaiba stated with a smirk, and swung his arm with all his might, intending to decapitate his target. To his utter surprise, there was not a single splatter of blood as he expected. In fact, instead of flesh, the blade made contact with what felt like plastic! The hollow noise coming from the head confirmed this, and thus it exposed itself for what it really was: a mannequin! But that wasn't what disturbed the team. Soon after the 'decapitation', there was a ticking sound of a stopwatch. Nathaniel's eyes widened in horror, being the first to realize what they were facing.

"Oh SHIT, IT'S A BOMB! GET BACK, GET BACK!" The Agents all sped out of the way, although Kaiba took a little while before the information registered into his head. Then BOOM! The bomb ignited. Luckily, the heroes were safely out of blast range, though they were knocked off of their feet by the impact. Kaiba was the first to rise up. One by one, the others followed in suit. "Whew… Damn, that was close!" Nathaniel stated.

"For someone that's just become a splicer," an angry Kaiba noted through clenched teeth, "this Angler Fish is even smarter than we thought!"

"So you must be the pimps and hoes Cohen sent to whoop my ass!" A voice shouted from above. The Agents looked up to find a familiar splicer dressed in an orange hoodie shirt, gray sweat pants and sneakers. Like many hip hop artists, he was sporting tons of bling.

"Angler Fish!" Coral exclaimed, "It's him!"

"Hate to kill the messengers," Angler Fish taunted, fire springing from his hands, "but I got somthin' set up just for that emo vampire!" He shot out balls of fire, blasting the side of a nearby vent before making a break for it. "Hope you like spending some time with my pussycats, bitches!"

"Pussycats?" Nathaniel asked in confusion. But very soon that confusion faded as several female voice began to shriek. The volume started out low, but then it grew louder and louder.

"WARNING, WARNING!" Blossom shrieked in horror, "SPLICERS DETECTED! THEY'RE COMING TOWARD US!" Indeed they were. From the ceiling, they could see that sparks of fire were trailing in the ducts of the ventilation. One vent burst open, and out sprang five spider splicer girls—all of which were set ablaze!

"Geez! Did he really have to set his own harem on fire?!" Mai shouted, before she dodged the sickle of one flaming splicer girl in question.

"Maybe that's why Cohen sent us here!" Kaiba reasoned, bringing forth his gauntlet blades.

"Then let's put out that fire!" Nathaniel encouraged. Then with a determined battle cry, he thrust his trident into the heart of one of the burning splicers, which dropped to the ground on the spot. Coral did a spinning attack, dispatching two enemies at once with her daggers. Mai, in the meantime, was shooting at the first splicer lady that initiated the attack, trying to slow her down.

"Miss Mai! Behind you!" Pegasus shouted, and she spun around in time to see another burning spider splicer leaping down toward her! Just then, a glob of red goo splattered upon the first opponent, and with an angry shriek, the Rage-induced splicer leapt up and intercepted the second one. The violet eyed shutterbug watched as the splicer catfight unfolded, their sickles striking one another as their previous targets were forgotten.

"Thanks Pegasus." Mai replied, as the Grand Master tossed a red glob playfully before hiding his Rage plasmid again. Soon afterward, the catfight came to a rather spectacular conclusion with one splicer decapitating the other, before the victor herself succumbed to both her wounds and the fire that engulfed her. But for the Mermaid Agents, the battle was far from over. The shrieks from the ceiling became intense.

"More of them?!" Coral gasped.

"Well, at least I'm ready for them this time!" Mai declared, and quickly activated the powers of her Cyclone plasmid, setting the trap in at least three different spots before the next wave of Angler Fish's harem rushed in. There were twelve of them when they came down from the vent, but three splicers fell for the trap—they were sent flying in such a speed that they had no time to recover. At least one of them smashed against the ceiling. Kaiba wasted no time taking advantage of the situation, changing the blade on his gauntlets into a drill and skewering the second one that fell. Likewise, Nathaniel made a shish kabob out of the third splicer with his trident.

"HA! Now this is what I call sticking a 'fork' in it!" Nathaniel shouted, tossing the dead splicer to the side.

"You stick a fork in it when it's done!" Kaiba snapped, raising his gauntlet drill in the air. "GLACIER WAVE!" The power of the Splicer Killer's Overdrive Ability spread across the floor, trapping the rest of the harem and extinguishing their flame. One by one, in rapid pace, he stuck a drill in each and every one of them. Soon they heard a familiar voice from upstairs.

"It's game on, Chore Whores!" Angler Fish shouted, "Cohen, Mutou… two assholes suckin' on each other's cocks!" As soon as the spliced-up hip hop artist came into view there was what seemed to be a look of shock on his distorted face. "Huh? What the…! OHHH! MAAAH! GAAAAAWD! YOU KILLED MY PUSSYCATS! YOU BASTARDS!" Then as if out of nowhere, a huge hammer materialized in his hand, formed entirely out of magma. "You know what that means, punk? IT'S HAMMER TIME!" And with a scream of fury, Angler Fish leapt high from the ledge and struck the hammer on the frozen ground. The result was a powerful shockwave of intense fire which struck all our heroes at once. Everyone let out a scream of pain as the flames engulfed them, but luckily the melting residue of Kaiba's Glacier Wave created something moist to assist in putting out the fire. It was still very painful nevertheless.

"Ugh…" Kaiba grunted as he rose up, "Figures we'd be fighting a high level fire mage splicer…"

"Yeah, and he's powerful to boot!" Mai added. They barely dodged another swing of the splicer's magma hammer, each going in different directions.

"I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that it's going to take more than just one Blizzard plasmid to eliminate this one." Nathaniel noted.

"Are you kidding me?" Kaiba snapped, "I don't need your help in blasting this washed-up has-been to bits! He's mine!"

"What are you saying Kaiba?" Coral exclaimed, "We need to work together!" The cute chef turned in time to see Angler Fish running toward her in top speed. She barely had time to reach before he struck her hard with his magma hammer.

"CORAL-CHAN!" Nathaniel shouted in horror. Then the hip hop artist moved on and struck Mai. Then Pegasus. They were tossed all the way toward the walls, singed by the firey attack but still conscious.

"YOU'RE TOAST, BITCHES! YOU'RE TOAST!" Angler Fish bellowed before striking Nathaniel head on. The spliced-up hip hop artist was about to pound the vocalist when suddenly Kaiba blocked the hammer with his gauntlet weapons, which had morphed into blades once again. He had enough strength to actually push his opponent back a few feet.

"Kaiba-Mon…" Nathaniel murmured.

"You can thank me later." Kaiba stated, "Just leave this creep to me!"

"…But you can't do this alone!" Nathaniel protested as he rose to his feet.

"Well, well, Seto Kaiba Suchong! I've heard about ya." Angler Fish taunted, "Splica' Killa' extraordinaire, they call ya. HA! SPLICA' KILLA' MY ASS!"

The Splicer Killer, fuming over the insult given to him, unleashed the ice spikes of his Blizzard plasmid, intending to freeze the washed-up has-been on the spot. Imagine his shock when he saw that the icicles missed, for the splicer had shifted into a cloud of red smoke and sped away. Before Kaiba even knew what had happened, Angler Fish immediately materialized behind him, and bull rushed him as a human meteor. Then he slammed the meteor hammer on the Splicer Killer to finish his devastating combo. "Kaiba Boy!" Pegasus exclaimed as Kaiba crashed to the ground, heavily bruised. Like Nathaniel, nearly half of the ice covering his skin was melted. It steadily began to reform as he slowly, and painfully, rose to his feet.

"HA HA HA HA HA, what's wrong Splica' Killa'? Did I put a damper onto your attack plan? Get it? 'Damper?' 'Cause you all wet and… Ah, never mind! Time to put ya DOWN!"

"GRR! NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!" Nathaniel exclaimed and activated his own Blizzard, aiming not at the splicer himself, but at the magma hammer we was about to swing. The hammer solidified under the touch of the ice spikes, and instantly it crashed to the ground with a thud, taking a surprised Angler Fish with it!

"What the…! My hammer!" Angler Fish barked after recovering from the initial shock, "What did ya do to my hammer?!" He tried to lift it up, but it proved to be in vain; with the magma cooled down to the point that it had become solid rock, the hammer had become extremely heavy in the splicer's hands. Apparently, that fact hasn't crossed his mind yet, for he just kept on trying to lift it.

"Mai-Chan!" Nathaniel shouted, "Set up a pair of windy elevators for me and Kaiba-Mon!"

"With pleasure!" Mai replied, activating her plasmid to set up a pair of cyclones. The vocalist immediately rushed over to use one of them.

"I hope you know what you're doing Nathaniel!" Coral shouted.

"Kaiba-Mon! Hurry up to the top floor!" Nathaniel called out as he was lifted upward, "We have to get him while he's distracted!"

Kaiba growled, but reluctantly followed his fellow Blizzard user to the first floor. Once there, they could see that they were now at the advantage. "My—hammer—won't—BUDGE!" Angler Fish shouted, still trying-and failing- to lift up his weapon.

"Let's do this!" Nathaniel commanded, before the icy spikes shot out and shattered to form a familiar basketball-sized globe.

"Fine!" Kaiba snapped, "Anything to shut him up!" Then he too set up his ice spikes to prepare his Overdrive Ability. The two Blizzard wielders lifted the globes in a windup.

"ICE GLOBE AVALANCE!" they both exclaimed. Together, they tossed the globes toward their target. Angler Fish looked up to see the globes speeding straight toward him, but it was too late. The two globes of the combined Overdrive Abilities struck their mark, impaling the screaming Angler Fish with such a force that it knocked him off of his feet. Then all was still. The other three Mermaid Agents approached the corpse cautiously. All over his body, there were icy spikes sticking out from his flesh, his blood slowly becoming pink as it trickled down the slow-melting ice. In fact, some of the ice spikes were large enough to actually go through the dead splicer, suspending the body face-up off the ground.

"M-M-Master?" Blossom squeaked, "Is it over?"

"It's over." Pegasus reassured, allowing his doll to climb out from hiding behind his shoulder.

"Jeez!" Coral stated, "That bastard was a real pain in the ass to fight! I'm glad we got him out of the picture!"

"Yeah, good riddance!" Mai agreed. Right at that moment, Cohen appeared on the TV screen located on the wall of the first floor.

"Ah, yes… he really was a nasty one. And he was one of my favorites, too." The Goth artist sported his satisfactory smirk. "But you know, I think I like him better this way, with all those icicles sticking out like that." Eyeing Mai, the smile faded to an impatient frown. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Take his damn photo already!"

"I'm getting to it!" Mai barked back, raising her camera. "Sheesh! Just wait a minute…" Taking careful aim so that she got a good angle on the corpse, she adjusted the image and finally snapped her photo. Once again, it was a perfect shot.

"Well, done little butterflies!" Cohen praised. "Especially you, Kaiba… You flutter around the city, taking life as you go. You're not just a Splicer Killer… you are an Angel of Death! Hm, I've never painted an angel before… maybe I should start…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point." Kaiba stated, unimpressed by the praise, "In any case, we'll be heading back to the atrium." Cohen nodded once before the screen went blank. The Splicer Killer faced his companions. "So, anyone up to taking the scenic route?"

* * *

Back in the aforementioned atrium, a bust of Ryu Mutou rose up into the air, spinning a bit before falling back down. It was quickly followed by a large yellowfin tuna, which flapped its tail, and then a boom box blaring out circus clown music. It was actually quite fitting, since the Bouncer, Gamma, was juggling all of those items both to entertain the other Mermaid Agents and to keep their minds off of their worries. She was actually pretty good at it too, considering the handicap she has with having a drill for one hand. "Woo! I gotta admit it Atem: your Big Bertha buddy may not be the brightest of the bunch," Jonouchi cheered, "but she sure knows how to juggle!" The Big Bertha soon started juggling with one hand, tossing each object like it was light as a feather. "Okay, now you're just showing off!"

"All right, quit clowning around!" Kaiba shouted from the top of the stairs. "We got a quadtych set up!" The juggling came to an abrupt halt, forcing Gamma to literally drop everything she had in her hands. The result was a rather big mess on her part.

"Kaiba, you're back!" Yugi stated in relief.

"About time!" Honda added. "We were all getting worried about you guys!"

"So how did it go?" Emily asked.

"We had a hard time fighting the bastard, but we got him." Nathaniel explained, "There was no doubt that he was a high level fire mage."

"Whoa, then it's a good thing you got Blizzard on your side!" Stephen noted.

"Anyway, let's get the third part of this photo set up, okay?" Mai suggested.

"Right." Jonouchi agreed.

"That leave one target left." Atem added. As Kaiba and his team joined the rest of their companions, a figure with glowing green eyes approached the balcony from the top floor, unseen by the others. The figure was a boy of sixteen, with black wavy hair held in a ponytail and a red bandana, dressed in a black tank top and a red vest along with some black pants and shoes. The one other notable thing aside from the hypodermic syringe shaped like a shotgun was a single earring shaped like a die. He watched as Mai printed out her photo and carefully set it up on the third frame. But the moment his eyes laid on the 'statue' of the portly clown, a look of shocked disgust came across his face.

"So Cohen," Mai called out as the Goth artist appeared on screen, "What do you think?"

"Ah, good!" Cohen mused in excitement, "Three down, one to go!" Right at that moment, his gaze fell on the young man at the top of the balcony. "Huh? W-what's that look?!" The young man looked up in shock, realizing that he had been spotted. "You there!" Cohen snapped, pointing at the figure in question, to which the young man pointed to himself as if to ask, 'Who, me?' "Yes, you! You don't like it, do you?!" The young man just turned and ran, and by then all eyes were on him as he left. It was Anzu who recognized him for what he was.

"A Reaper!" she exclaimed.

Atem gasped, "That's a Reaper?!" But there was no time to go after the boy, because the Agents could all see that their client was fuming.

"I don't need to be judged by you, or by **anyone**!" Cohen slammed his fists downward before giving the finger on both hands. "SCREW YOU! SCREW ALL YOU FUCKING DOUBTERS! HERE'S WHAT I SAY TO ALL OF YOU!" He slammed his right hand palms down and screamed out with all his might, "**PAIMON! IT'S FEEDING TIME!**"

Note: Oh NO! CLIFFHANGER! In the next chapter of Plasmashock, The Mermaid Agents are soon beset by a powerful elite spilcer known only as Paimon, courtesy of a vengeful Cohen. Will they be able to strike her down, or will she be having them all for dinner? And who exactly is that Reaper they've just encountered now? Until next time!


End file.
